TOT 3G roaming via AIS starts Oct 15
TOT is expected to start enabling its 3G mobile-phone subscribers to roam using the nationwide wireless data network of Advanced Info Service (AIS) on October 15 in a move aimed at expanding TOT's subscription base, said the state agency's president Ano
Anont said yesterday he was confident TOT will achieve its goal of setting up 3,500 base stations in 18 provinces, including Greater Bangkok, by next month, and a total of 4,772 base stations nationwide by May. The state agency has also established a third-generation wireless broadband network on a co-site basis, mainly with AIS, which is TOT’s concession-holder.
A TOT source said recently that the agency’s roll-out of the 3G network across the country had proceeded slowly, raising questions over whether it would be able to meet its deadlines.
TOT is aiming for 1.2 million users of this new 3G network this year and 7 million by 2015, up from about 200,000 on its existing 3G network in Greater Bangkok, which debuted in December 2009 and now has about 500 base stations.
TOT is still waiting for its new board of directors to push ahead with its plan to lease 3G capacity on the new network to firms that will retail the service. Anont said TOT still had time to develop the plan further, given that its nationwide network will be fully in place in May.
