Scholar urges fairness
Telecom scholar Anupap Tiralap has urged the telecom watchdog to issue regulations to ensure fair competition and top quality broadband cellular service after this month's auction of 3G-2.1GHz licences.
He has threatened to petition the Administrative Court or the Constitution Court to suspend the auction if the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission |(NBTC) has not yet made it clear to |consumers that they would get quality 3G service.
The NBTC will open bidding for nine 2.1GHz slots on October 16. Three firms – Advanced Wireless Network of Advanced Info Service, DTAC Network of Total Access Communication and Real Future of True Corp – are all expected to pass pre-qualification tomorrow.
He cited Article 47 of the Constitution, which states that the spectra, which are national resources, must be allocated in the most effective manner to give maximum benefit to consumers.
He needs to see the watchdog set clear standards for network coverage and quality as well as service prices.
Anupap is also concerned about how the proceeds from the auction would be used to increase benefits for consumers. He has insisted that he has no intention of disrupting the auction but wants to see the NBTC ensuring that consumers would enjoy fairly priced services and equal access to 3G services.
NBTC member Prawit Leesatapornwongsa said last week that the regulator could disseminate regulations in the future if needed. All licensees are required to observe future regulations.
The NBTC will pass the auction proceeds to the state coffers.
As part of the tender’s terms and conditions, the winners of 10MHz bandwidth or more have to provide network coverage to 50 per cent of the population within two years and 80 per cent within four years. They could be fined for failing to meet the network coverage standards.
Their network capacity for data transmission must also satisfy the NBTC’s mobile data service standard regula-|tions published in the Royal Gazette on October 5.
