Cap on bandwidth ownership set

The cap on mobile spectrum is aimed at ensuring that small operators can obtain bandwidth at the upcoming spectrum licence auction so as to create more competition for the three incumbent private players, said NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith.

The NBTC will have to issue new regulations to enforce the 50MHz maximum. The regulations will automatically apply to those currently exceeding the cap. The cap will apply only to spectra actually in use.

Currently Total Access Communication (DTAC) owns the most bandwidth at 75MHz, followed by Advanced Info Service with 32.5MHz, TOT with 30MHz, and True and CAT Telecom with 15MHz each.

Meanwhile, ICT Minister Pornchai Rujiprapa said the next licence auction might not take place until the fourth quarter of this year, instead of in August as targeted by the ad hoc National Digital Economy Committee. 

He said his ministry and the NBTC would propose the commission’s overall spectrum auction plan, including the plan to cap the amount of bandwidth a single telecom could own, to be considered by the mobile Cabinet tomorrow.

The ad hoc committee last week instructed the NBTC to resume planning for an August auction of telecom spectrum licences. 

The auction is far behind schedule. The NBTC had originally intended to open bidding for the 1,800MHz bands of TrueMove and Digital Phone Co (DPC) in the middle of last year, followed by 900MHz of AIS in the same year. But in July, the junta ordered the commission to hold off the auction for one year, pending thorough clarification of the plan. 

According to Takorn, the NBTC will auction the 1,800MHz bands held by TrueMove and DPC first, for two licences each with 12.5MHz bandwidth, followed by two 10MHz licences on the 900MHz spectrum. 

The NBTC will also reclaim a total of 50MHz of bandwidth on the 1,800MHz spectrum from DTAC to create four licences, each with 12.5MHz. 

CAT Telecom granted the 50MHz to DTAC, but the company currently uses only half of it. DTAC was to be able to use the remaining half only after the first half was fully used. 

Takorn insisted that the NBTC would definitely reclaim the unused part first.

Pornchai said the NBTC might have to compensate CAT if the state agency agrees to transfer its bandwidth for auction before the concession ends in 2018.

Takorn said the NBTC would also review the starting price 12.5MHz bandwidth, which was previously proposed at Bt11.26 billion.