TOT wants control over 900MHz
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ICT minister to ask panel to look into spectrum request
TOT yesterday told the Infor-mation and Communications Technology Ministry that it wants to hold onto the 900MHz spectrum for its own use after Advanced Info Service’s concession expires in September next year until its licence ends in 2025 as part of its survival plan.
ICT Minister Pornchai Rujiprapa said he would ask the working committee formed by the ministry and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to consider TOT’s request.
Pornchai visited the state telecom enterprise yesterday.
TOT has to defend its proposal to the committee, as its request is connected with the NBTC’s auction plan. The NBTC had planned to auction the 900MHz frequency and also the 1800MHz spectrum of TrueMove and Digital Phone Co this year, but the National Council for Peace and Order recently instructed the watchdog to postpone the auctions for one year.
TOT’s telecom licences will expire in 2025.
TOT plans to offer 2G-900MHz service via 15,000 900MHz base stations, which will be transferred by AIS to TOT after its build-operate-transfer concession ends.
TOT has rights to the 2.3GHz, 2.1GHz, 900MHz and 470MHz frequencies. In 2009, it became the country’s first 3G wireless broadband service operator to use the 2.1GHz frequency. However, the service has managed to attract only 600,000 subscribers.
Pornchai said TOT should separate its business accounts from its public service accounts as part of the move to overcome competition.
TOT suffered a loss of Bt690 million for the first half of this year. Its first-half revenue of Bt43 billion was unchanged from last year. It has slashed its operating loss forecast from Bt8 billion to Bt4.5 billion this year due to successful cost-cutting.
