NBTC rejects Mcot's bid for IPTV permit
Says bid for Internet Protocol TV was not submitted properly
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission’s telecom committee has rejected a request from MCOT for a permit to launch an Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) service via the 2.6GHz spectrum – because it was not submitted according to the correct procedure.
Committee chairman Setta-pong Malisuwan said the committee would tell MCOT to file another application for the licence.
According to the procedure, MCOT has to provide full details of its IPTV business to the telecom committee as well as provide details on how the 2.6GHz spectrum will be utilised and its ownership to the NBTC broadcasting committee.
The NBTC’s master plan for frequency management requires all state agencies to return their radio spectra to the NBTC within five years, TV spectra within 10 years and telecom spectra in 15 years. This only applies to spectra not linked to contracts or concessions.
The NBTC can also negotiate with them and reclaim unused spectra ahead of the period specified. Spectra granted by state agencies to private concessionaires will be returned to the NBTC once concessions expire.
Settapong added that once MCOT finishes these two processes, it could file a request for an IPTV permit with the telecom committee. However, he said, as per NBTC’s spectrum management master plan, the 2.6GHz spectrum is meant for providing telecom services, not broadcasting services.
He sid the NBTC also planned to reallocate this 2.6GHz spectrum, including the 2.3GHz, 900MHz and 1,800MHz spectra via an auction soon after it finishes auctioning the 2.1GHz spectrum in October.
In the past, MCOT granted some pay-TV operators right to |use 2.6GHz spectrum to broad-cast programmes using the Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS) telecom technology.
