TOT, CAT plan joint task force on infrastructure
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State firms do not see the need to merge
TOT and CAT Telecom have set up a joint task force to coordinate their plan to utilise their vast ICT infrastructure to serve the government’s move to create a digital economy.
The working committee, chaired by Suranan Wongvithayakamjorn, a board director of TOT, will map their networks in each province to see how they can be used to support the digital economy policy.
Both state enterprises believe they do not have to merge to combine their strength but can work together via the task force, while each will try on its own to survive.
TOT has already approached five major telecom operators about becoming a partner of any of its six core businesses in an effort to stay alive in the industry.
The state enterprise sent letters last week to Advanced Info Service (AIS), Total Access Communication (DTAC), True Corp, Samart Corp and Loxley, in line with the policy of its new board to seek strong strategic allies.
Last week TOT insisted to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) that it wants to continue holding the precious 2.3GHz band with 64MHz of bandwidth to provide its existing rural telephone service and to develop other services in the future, Thanapat Raichareon, deputy secretary-general of the NBTC, said last week.
TOT informed the NBTC of this desire at the NBTC’s meeting with focus groups last week on its plan to reclaim 700MHz, 2.3GHz and 2.6GHz for reallocation by auction.
TOT has also declined to hand over the 470-694MHz frequency range to the NBTC, which wants to reallocate this range to the broadcasting industry. Analog TV broadcasters use 700MHz but the NBTC wants to reclaim the 700MHz for reallocation. It needs to reclaim the 470-694MHz band for the industry to use in place of 700MHz.
MCOT informed the watchdog at the same meeting that it wants to keep the 2.6GHz spectrum to provide a future service. MCOT had granted 2,572-2,600MHz to TrueVisions to provide service under its concession, which expired in September.
Like TOT and MCOT, the Public Relations Department told the NBTC it would decline to hand over the 2,504-2,528MHz band to the watchdog.
Other organisations such as PTT, Army and Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand decided to switch to using other frequencies, instead of the 2.3GHz and 2.6GHz they currently use, but within five years. The NBTC had asked them to switch to other frequencies within three years.
Thanapat said he would submit the outcome of the focus group meeting to the NBTC to develop the spectrum recovery plan.
