NBTC to set 3G tariffs after networks
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission will work out the maximum tariffs for mobile-phone calls and data services to be applied to the future holders of 3G-2.1GHz licences, commissioner Prawit Leesatapornwongsa said.
However, the rates will not be imposed immediately. The NBTC will wait until the licence holders complete their initial network investments so it can calculate the appropriate tariffs, which will be applied only to those found to be the dominant providers of third-generation cellular service.
The NBTC intends to auction licences for the 2.1-gigahertz spectrum in the third quarter.
Yesterday the commission called in telecom operators to explain its regulation capping maximum tariffs for domestic mobile phone calls at 99 satang per minute, which took effect on April 4.
The regulation applies only to Advanced Info Service (AIS) and Total Access Communication (DTAC), which were classified as significant market players (SMPs) in the mobile-phone industry last year by the NBTC’s predecessor, the National Telecommunications Commission.
Prawit said the NBTC office was determining which companies would be classified as SMPs in the mobile-phone market this year.
Under the call-tariff regulations, new promotional call packages the SMPs launch after the regulations took effect have to comply with the new rules. Pre-existing packages with rates over 99 satang per minute can continue until their expiration dates but their call rates after December 31 will have to be adjusted to comply with the regulations.
Prawit said the SMPs could not terminate the existing packages before their expiry dates and subscribers could continue to enjoy the benefits of such packages in the meantime. Currently some packages charge more than Bt1 for the first minute and a lower rate for subsequent minutes.
According to an NBTC study, the average call fee for DTAC during the first nine months of last year was 76 satang per minute, followed by TrueMove at 67 satang and AIS at 54 satang.
In a related matter, Prawit said the NBTC telecom committee had informally agreed that interconnection charges should be reduced in line with the new maximum call tariff.
NBTC regulations oblige the network of the caller to pay the network of the receiver an interconnection charge on a mutually agreed basis. Currently AIS, DTAC and TrueMove have mutually agreed to charge one another interconnection fees of Bt1 per minute.
