NBTC to unveil plan to auction 'golden' phone numbers
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission will dust off its plan to auction "golden" mobile phone numbers in a move that is expected to generate Bt1 billion for the state.
Golden mobile phone numbers have the same numbers in a row and are easy to remember like 09-99999999 or 09-89898989.
Paying a premium for golden phone numbers and licence plates is common for people who believe in good luck and prosperity.
The Land Transport Department has auctioned golden licence plates for years.
Korkij Danchaivichit, deputy secretary of the NBTC office and the head of the committee charged with drafting auction rules for the mobile phone auction, said the watchdog planned to auction numbers in the second quarter next year after finishing the regulation details for the auction.
He said the committee’s first task was set the definition of a golden number and organise the golden number categories.
There are around 200 numbers that are expected to be desirable.
"We will categorise the numbers by grade A, B , C or lower and set the minimum starting price for each category," Korkij said.
He said prices would vary from Bt1,000 to more than Bt1 million – just like the prices for numbers being sold on the NBTC website.
The NBTC, which is often criticised for being an uneconomical agency, has kept around 10 million golden numbers for years.
"This is part of the NBTC’s plan to support the state," Korkij said. "It will be the same pattern as the spectrum auction, in which the NBTC passed on all the revenue to the state coffer."
Korkij’s committee has to design an auction model that is accessible for mobile phone operators and the general public.
It is expected to propose the model and final auction plan to the NBTC’s telecom committee in the first quarter next year.
