Satellite licence regulations in Q3
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The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission aims to issue regulations on satellite-business licensing in the third quarter, said telecom committee chairman Settapong Malisuwan.
According to the draft, affected businesses will be satellite-service resellers, satellite operators, and so-called earth satellite service providers, which provide satellite-signal uplink-downlink service.
Settapong said the NBTC’s telecom committee would consider the draft regulations soon and put them for public hearing.
However, the members of the panel tasked with drafting the regulations have differing views on whether a prospective satellite-licence holder would have to bid for spectra related to the use of orbital slots.
While some say the use of an orbital slot is related to spectrum use, others argue that this is a matter of international law, not Thai law.
Settapong said the panel would consult the NBTC’s legal panel on the issue.
Currently, the Information and Communications Technology Ministry coordinates with the International Telecommunication Union to reserve orbital slots for Thailand.
The NBTC has granted a 20-year network-provider licence to Thaicom to operate any of its satellites positioned or to be positioned in the 120 degrees east longitude slot.
The company is scheduled to launch the Thaicom 7 satellite next year into that slot. Thaicom 7 will be subject to these upcoming licensing regulations.
