AIS keen for auction of licences to occur soon
Play
Advanced Info Service (AIS) would be in trouble compared to its two competitors if there was no auction of the much-needed 2.1GHz spectrum licences to provide 3G cellular broadband service, its chief executive officer Wichian Mektrakarn said.
“If you asked me which operators will be in big trouble if the auction cannot take place soon, the answer is AIS,” he said.
Currently AIS has around 2 million 3G-900MHz customers and the customer number has kept growing. It has utilised only 5MHz bandwidth out of total 17.5MHz bandwidth of the 900MHz spectrum to serve them and utilises the rest of the bandwidth to serve over 33 million customers for conventional voice and data services.
Wichian said while AIS welcomes more new 3G-900MHz customers, the congested bandwidth could affect its attempt to provide quality service and to maintain 3G leadership.
So, it wants the licence auction to take place as soon as possible.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has vowed to auction the 3G-2.1GHz licences in the third quarter.
The largest cellular operator aims to grab 15MHz bandwidth of the 2.1GHz from the auction to boost its 3G capacity. However, no industrialist feels definitely certain the auction will take place as the NBTC plans.
True Corp group has already partnered with CAT Telecom to provide 3G-850MHz service for 14.5 years and on maximum 15MHz bandwidth.
AIS also needs the 2.1GHz licence to ensure it will stay in the cellular business after its concession ends in 2015. The concession of Total Access Communication, also eager to clinch a 2.1GHz licence, will end in 2018.
Wichian said that if no auction takes place, AIS would have to seek a partnership with concession owner TOT to provide 3G service on the state agency’s 3G network. He was confident that TOT would team up with AIS on the matter, thanks to their good long-term relationship.
TOT now holds both 2.1GHz and 2.3GHz spectra – the latter can be used to provide 4G cellular service.
