Spectra return period high on NBTC agenda

If the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) decides on a maximum period of 15 years for state agencies to return their telecom spectra, CAT Telecom and TOT and also private telecom operators interested to be their partners in the future will enjoy a long-term benefit from the spectra.

TOT plans to propose to the NBTC that it will return half of its total 2.3GHz spectrum for reallocation and retain the rest to provide broadband service.

An NBTC source said that state TV broadcasters may not have a problem in giving back their Very High Frequency (VHF) spectrum blocks to the NBTC as they would have to switch to Ultra High Frequency (UHF) spectrum blocks within four years and instead offer terrestrial digital TV service. This is in line with the watchdog’s spectrum master plan.

Under the NBTC draft of the spectrum management master plan, all state agencies will be obliged to return their spectra, which have no expiry date, to the NBTC at determined periods – radio broadcasting spectra within a maximum period of five years; TV spectra within 10 years, and telecom spectra within 15 years. The concessioned spectra will be returned once the concessions end.

While some commissioners prefer not to shorten these periods, other commissioners, including Supinya Klangnarong, have insisted that they should be shortened to three years for radio spectra, five years for TV spectra and seven years for telecom spectra. This is in line with people’s opinions heard at last month’s public hearing on the drafts of the spectrum master plan and the telecom and broadcasting master plans.

The NBTC board was expected to approve the drafts of the three master plans last week but postponed it to this week as the commissioners were yet to reach a consensus on the appropriate period for return of spectrum, especially the telecom spectra.

They will have go for voting to approve the drafts if the 11 commissioners again fail to reach a consensus.