Govt urged to keep 700MHz for mobile broadband use
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International telecom organisations have urged Thailand to make it clear that it intends to use the 700-megahertz band at its maximum value, which is for mobile broadband.
The country is debating whether to reserve the 700MHz band for mobile broadband or for digital terrestrial TV.
Kraisorn Pornsutee, deputy secretary-general of the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT), last month informed Settapong Malisuwan, chairman of the Telecom Committee, by letter that most South Asian nations have adopted this band for mobile broadband in line with the APT’s frequency plan. APT is a regional business and governmental association that promotes telecom-related industries.
Takorn Tantasit, secretary-general of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), said last week that a GSM Association representative would visit the watchdog today to discuss the importance of using 700MHZ for mobile broadband.
The GSMA, which represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Ericsson will also hold a press briefing today on the topic “A Digital Dividend Spectrum in Thailand”.
The Broadcasting Committee has allocated the 510-790MHz range for digital TV, but the NBTC's telecom roadmap subcommittee has proposed that 698-806MHz be reserved for the future provisioning of mobile broadband in line with the standards of the International Telecom Union and APT.
The subcommittee suggested that the Broadcasting Committee use 470-694MHz for digital TV broadcasts instead.
It also cited a BCG study that found that the allocation of 700MHz to mobile service will have significant incremental economic benefits over the allocation to broadcasting.
The application of 700MHz to mobile broadband will raise GDP by US$14.8 billion and create about 50,000 related jobs by 2020.
Natee Sukonrat, chairman of the Broadcasting Committee, said the fate of 700MHz is an “internal issue” of the NBTC, which is being resolved.
He has already assigned his staff to prepare information on the digital TV broadcasting plan from all angles for the NBTC’s meeting next month as part of the regulator’s plan to set up a working group from the telecom and broadcasting committees to settle this 700MHz issue.
Even if any entity is allowed to use 700MHz for mobile broadband, it would not be able to use it right away as TV Channels 3 and 7 are still airing on the band. The Frequency Allocation Act protects their concessions until they end – in 2020 for Channel 3 and 2022 for Channel 7.
