True CEO urges quick action by NBTC on spectrum licences

<p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">He said that what he wanted to see most was the auction of the 1,800-megahertz spectrum by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). True subsidiary TrueMove aims to bid for the spectrum to continue to provide the service on this spectrum after its concession ends.</span></p> <p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">TrueMove has been operating cellular service on the 1,800MHz spectrum, but its concession will end in 2013, when it has to return the spectrum for reallocation by the NBTC. </span></p> <p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">TrueMove currently has about 17 million subscribers.</span></p> <p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Supachai said it remained to be seen whether the NBTC would grant licences to use either the 2.1- or 2.6-gigahertz spectrum to provide wireless broadband service. Either spectrum could be used to provide third- or fourth-generation services. </span></p> <p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">He said True was ready to bid for both 1,800MHz and 3G licences, aiming to be the market leader in the wireless broadband service within two years. </span></p> <p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Another True subsidiary, Real Move, has already launched a 3G service under partnership with CAT Telecom. Real Move expects to acquire 80 per cent of the 3G market next year, or 5 million of the estimated 8 million 3G users. Real Move will break even once it has 5 million subscribers. </span></p> <p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Real Move now has the largest 3G network coverage, totalling 3,000 base stations, of which 1,700 are in Bangkok and the rest in 16 major provinces. Its network will be expanded to cover 70 per cent of the population in the first quarter of next year before rising to 97 per cent by the end of 2012. </span></p> <p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">It currently has about 400,000 3G users and targets 1 million by the end of this year.</span></p> <p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Supachai is confident that True group can become the 3G market leader, given that it is the first to charge fully into the market, unlike in the second-generation market, which it was the third operator to enter. </span></p> <p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">He expects that the group&rsquo;s revenue from cellular business will grow by 25-30 per cent next year. Its broadband Internet business has also grown substantially, with current customers numbering about 1.2 million. True group is expected to post consolidated service revenue of Bt63 billion next year, up by 15-20 per cent year on year.</span></p> <p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">True took the press to see the operations of British Telecom (BT) and Hutchison 3 UK last week. Supachai said that like BT, True had walked on the right track by shifting focus from fixed-line telephone service to cash in on Wi-Fi and broadband Internet.</span></p> <p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Chris Bruce, CEO of BT Openzone, said it had 3 million Wi-Fi spots in the UK, which would be expanded to 4 million ahead of next summer&rsquo;s London Olympic Games. </span></p> <p> <span lang=\"EN-GB\">Supachai said Hutchison&rsquo;s 3 UK could become the 3G market leader in that country because it was the first to enter the arena and had large coverage.</span></p>