FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

NBTC board gives green light to reclaim spectra from state agencies

NBTC board gives green light to reclaim spectra from state agencies

THE final version of rules for reclaiming spectrum bands from state agencies was endorsed yesterday at a board meeting of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).




The regulatory body will now have the rules published in the Royal Gazette this month, said NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith yesterday.
The rules allow the watchdog to reclaim the spectrum bands for reallocation before the spectrum valid periods expire.
The NBTC will reclaim those bands that are not in use or that it judges are not being used optimally. The NBTC will compensate the state agencies after reclaiming their spectra.
The complete process for reclaiming the spectra will not exceed 270 days per action.
The MCOT’s 2.6GHz band is expected to be the first to be reclaimed by the NBTC, followed by the bands in the ranges of 3.4GHz-3.5GHz and 26GHz-28GHz.
The board yesterday also decided to appoint a subcommittee to prepare to reclaim the 700MHz band, which is now being used by the digital TV licence holders. The NBTC aims to reallocate the 470MHz band for their own use instead.
Reclaiming that band is permissible under the NBTC’s current digital TV licensing rules. The subcommittee is expected to take two months to finish drafting the rules to be used in reclaiming the band.
Takorn said that TOT Plc, the state-owned telecommunications agency, had already returned part of the 470MHz band to the NBTC.
The board yesterday also approved plans by TrueMove H Universal Communication of True Corp, and Advanced Info Service (AIS) to test the 5G wireless broadband technology with their global telecom equipment partners from yesterday to December 15.
True will conduct the test on the 28GHz band at its True Branding shop in Iconsiam shopping complex. The test is expected to begin in the next two weeks.
AIS began the test yesterday at AIS Design Centre on the fifth floor of the Emporium shopping mall. It is using the 26GHz band for the test.
Takorn added that Total Access Communication (DTAC) has already asked for a permit to conduct a similar 5G test.
 

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