Dtac unveils 3-pronged strategy for ‘new normal’ era
Total Access Communication (dtac) said it is combating the Covid-19 fallout with a three-pronged strategy – seamless digital ecosystems, network capacity improvements nationwide and new ways of work.
With the World Bank predicting 8.3 million Thais could lose their income to the virus crisis, dtac said it has announced affordable offers to meet customers’ everyday needs, such as insurance and online shopping. It is also supporting customers' rapidly increasing data usage by accelerating its rollout of high-capacity massive MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) and TDD (Time Division Duplex) sites, which are compatible with 76 per cent of mobile devices used by dtac customers.
Dtac CEO Sharad Mehrotra said the pandemic had transformed Thai consumers’ behaviour:
Average monthly data consumption per user grew 44 per cent from January to June, following the explosion of work-from-home apps such as Zoom and MS Teams.
Redemption of dtac online shopping rewards grew fivefold during the same period, as shop closures pushed customers towards digital channels.
Data usage grew five times faster in the provinces than in Bangkok, and is remaining high despite lockdown measures being eased – a sign many are choosing to stay in their hometown rather than face joblessness in Bangkok.
Dtac said it is responding by blending offline and online services and joining with partners across industries to offer a wide range of services and products on its mobile application.
On the network front, dtac announced sustained investments in the second half of 2020 to respond to the massive human migration triggered by Covid-19 and the rise of remote work.
This includes meeting a nationwide target of over 20,000 high-speed TDD sites on 2300MHZ (in partnership with TOT) within 2020; tripling capacity at high-traffic spots nationwide, with additional Massive MIMO sites for an enhanced mobile broadband experience; continued rollout of 5G on 26GHz in select sites and 700MHz (pending National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission approval) with industry use cases in the Eastern Economic Corridor in Q3 such as smart video surveillance and fixed wireless access; and increased coverage on 700MHz in key regions (pending NBTC approval).
Meanwhile, due to the acceleration of change, dtac is also implementing an internal transformation programme based on flexible work, automation and a new company culture. All of dtac's offices now allow flexible work for 95 per cent of employees, allowing them to come to the office every other week or only when needed.
