NBTC may enact USO rules this quarter

It will also soon determine the maximum tariffs for cellular data service.

The NBTC yesterday held the first hearing on the draft USO regulations and those on the standards and quality of data services for mobile-phone networks.

The 2012-16 USO draft calls for coverage of 99 per cent of the population with voice service and 80 per cent with broadband Internet featuring connection speeds between 2 and 10 megabits per second within five years.

The watchdog estimates that achieving these goals will require a budget of more than Bt20 billion.

The USO regulations will be applied to all licence holders.

The major players are duty-bound to allocate 4 per cent of their annual revenue to a fund set up to promote research and development of radio and TV broadcasting and telecom affairs for public service. Licence holders with revenue of Bt20 million or less do not have to contribute to the fund, which currently has Bt2.9 billion.

General Sukit Khamasundara, the NBTC commissioner in charge of the development of USO regulations, said they were expected to be put into effect in March.

After that, the NBTC will launch pilot USO projects in two provinces at a cost of Bt250 million each.

It will select the two provinces later.

Meanwhile another commissioner, Prawit Leesatapornwongsa, said the NBTC would determine the maximum tariff for data service after it puts into effect the regulations regarding the standards and quality of such cellular services.

The regulations are meant to deal with the surging consumption of mobile data and to serve the upcoming era of full third-generation broadband cellular service.

If mobile-phone operators fail to comply with the standards set by the watchdog, they will risk facing punitive measures.

The NBTC is expected to |grant the 3G licences by the third quarter.