Samart to seek broadcast network licence
Samart Corp will apply for a broadcasting network licence to serve terrestrial digital TV stations.
Watchai Vilailuck, president of the telecom holding company, said yesterday that it plans to spend Bt1 billion on business development.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is expected to grant licences to broadcasting facility providers, broadcasting network providers and broadcasting service providers next month. All licences can be used to provide services ranging from digital TV to cable and satellite TV.
Watchai said Samart’s strong point is its experience in the network business.
The NBTC is drafting many regulations to move Thailand from analog to digital TV.
Watchai also hopes that the eight vacant seats on TOT’s board are filled as soon as possible as its subsidiary Samart i-Mobile (SIM) Plus might have to delay the launch of 3G service on TOT’s 3G network.
TOT’s board last month approved a bid from SIM Plus to procure 40 per cent of its 3G network capacity to provide the service, but TOT has yet to sign the deal.
Eight TOT directors resigned last week. They are expected to be replaced this month.
SIM Plus had planned to launch the service under the new contract next month to boost its subscriber base to 400,000 from the present 100,000 in the first six months.
SIM Plus is one of five companies providing 3G on TOT’s network. The state enterprise had asked them and other interested firms to propose new contracts.
