InTouch reports successful year of business 'breakthroughs'
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InTouch Holdings, the country's largest telecommunications conglomerate, achieved most of its business targets, or what its calls "breakthroughs", this year, the major exception being a digital TV licence, said chief executive officer Somprasong Boonya
The company’s nine “breakthrough” strategies were third-generation cellular service on the 2.1-gigahertz spectrum, new licences on the 1,800- and 900-megahertz spectra, convergence 3G and 4G services, fixed broadband, satellite service, venture-capital funds, cloud computing, digital content, and digital television.
Somprasong said InTouch was still looking to get into the digital-TV business after failing to win a licence last year but needed more time to research the plan.
“We think that we are on the right track by not jumping into digital TV while we are not ready,” he said.
InTouch recently entered a joint venture with Kantana Group, with each investing Bt20 million to explore business opportunities in the television business after the birth of terrestrial-based digital broadcasting.
He said InTouch had achieved at least five breakthroughs, namely a 3G licence, fixed broadband business, licences for the Thaicom 7 and 8 satellites, cloud computing service, and venture capital.
Advanced Info Services, InTouch’s mobile-phone operator, provides 3G-2.1GHz service through its subsidiary Advanced Wireless Network. AIS is also planning the official launch of its FibreNet fixed broadband service next year.
InTouch’s satellite company, Thaicom, has acquired a licence from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commis-sion (NBTC) and successfully launched Thaicom 7 into the orbit in September, and plans to launch Thaicom 8 in 2016.
CS Loxinfo, an Internet company under InTouch, provides cloud service to serve corporations and AIS.
Somprasong said InVent, a venture-capital project, will launch the fourth project next year.
He said InTouch also planned to launch a digital-content business early next year for advertising and e-commerce.
Somprasong said the group was well placed for the upcoming auction of new frequencies by the NBTC, which is expected to take place next year.
Moreover, the company plans to offer convergence services for wireless and fixed broadband customers starting next year.
InTouch has reported third-quarter net profit of Bt3.78 billion, up from Bt3.38 billion in the same period last year, and revenue at Bt11.1 billion, up from Bt11 billion, mainly on higher contributions from its mobile and satellite businesses.
Somprasong forecasts that in the next five to seven years, around 25 per cent of InTouch revenue will come from its non-AIS companies. Currently, 90 per cent of InTouch revenue is from AIS and only 5 per cent from Thaicom.
