TrueMove, DPC may continue service initially after deals expire
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TrueMove and Digital Phone Co are likely to be permitted to continue serving their combined 18 million customers for certain period after their concessions end, according to the preliminary opinion of a panel of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunica
However, the Information and Communications Technology Ministry has requested the Cabinet’s approval for CAT Telecom to continue using its 1,800-megahertz spectrum band for 12 years. The Cabinet is expected to consider this issue next Tuesday.
Songkla Vichaikatka, chairman of the panel assigned to work out remedies for TrueMove-DPC customers after the concessions end, said yesterday that in the panel’s opinion, the party that should be assigned to take care of these customers should be the one that currently manages their service billings.
His remark indicates that the NBTC telecom committee will assign TrueMove and DPC to carry on serving their customers after the concessions expire on September 15. He added that the NBTC would make a special announcement on how much revenue they will gain from serving customers after the concessions end.
The telecom committee will announce in June which party it will assign to take care of TrueMove-DPC customers for a one-year transition period after concession expiry.
The NBTC has remained firm on its stance that CAT must return the 1,800MHz spectrum for reallocation, commissioner Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn said in reaction to the ICT Ministry request for Cabinet approval for CAT’s plan to continue using 1,800MHz. He added that the NBTC would write to the Cabinet before Tuesday to defend its position.
CAT has granted 1,800MHz bands to TrueMove and DPC. The agency has informed the NBTC that it needs to continue using the spectrum to serve customers of these two operators, who might fail to move to other networks after their concession end.
Under the 2010 Frequency Allocation Law, both state telecom agencies have to return the concessioned spectra to the NBTC for reallocation by means of auction.
The ICT Ministry also asked to Cabinet to allow TOT to keep its 64MHz of bandwidth of the 2.3GHz spectrum, which can be used for fourth-generation cellular broadband service. Currently, TOT deploys this spectrum to provide a rural telephone service. The ministry said the reason TOT needed the spectrum was to support Smart Thailand, the government’s policy to promote equal access to telecom services, to bridge the digital divide.
TOT president Yongyuth Wattanasin has said his agency is seeking ways to partner with its concession holder Advanced Info Service to provide a cellular broadband service, including 3G-2.1GHz service. This partnership could be expanded to cover their possible collaboration in a 2.3GHz cellular service.
