Ministry seeks nod for TOT spectrum use

TOT owns 64 megahertz of bandwidth of the spectrum, which can be used to offer the fourth-generation cellular broadband technology service, or 4G. Currently, TOT deploys this spectrum to provide a rural telephone service. Smart Thailand is the government’s policy to promote equal access to telecom services, to bridge the digital divide.

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has examined the necessity for all state agencies to continue using spectra, a move by the watchdog to reclaim spectra for reallocation through auction. The now defunct National Telecommunications Commission previously tried to reclaim the 2.3GHz spectrum from TOT, but its efforts fell by the wayside.

TOT president Yongyuth Wattanasin recently said TOT is seeking ways to partner with its cellular concession holder Advanced Info Service (AIS) to provide a cellular broadband service, including the 3G-2.1GHz service. This partnership could be expanded to cover their possible collaboration in the 2.3GHz cellular service offering.

With the largest number of subscribers in Thailand, AIS is seeking ways to secure additional spectrum bandwidth to serve subscribers. Its 900MHz cellular concession will end in 2015. The 1,800MHz concession of its subsidiary Digital Phone Co will end this September 15. 

Last December, its wholly owned subsidiary Advanced Wireless Network obtained the 2.1GHz spectrum licence from the NBTC, totalling 15MHz of bandwidth.

A TOT source said that TOT has been mulling over the idea of having AIS invest in the broadband cellular network by renting it to TOT, which can then wholesale the cellular bandwidth, using a similar model to CAT Telecom-True Corp’s 3G-850MHz partnership.

Under the CAT-True model, BFKT (Thailand), owned by True, has rented the 850MHz network to CAT to wholesale the 3G-850MHz bandwidth to another True subsidiary, Real Move.