MCOT's 2.6GHz spectrum for broadcast only, says NBTC
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THE BROADCASTING regulator's 2.6GHz panel has concluded that MCOT is entitled to the 2.6-gigahertz spectrum but can use it for broadcasting only.
A source at the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission said yesterday that the panel would submit its findings to the NBTC this month. This would allow MCOT to be compensated when the NBTC reclaims the 2.6GHz spectrum from the broadcaster and puts it out for bidding.
The ad hoc National Digital Economy Committee recently asked the licensing body to conduct licence auctions for bandwidth on the 1,800-megahertz and 2.3GHz and 2.6GHz spectra. Then the government will seek ways to compensate the state enterprises that have had to transfer their spectra for reallocation before the end of their concessions.
MCOT holds 144MHz of bandwidth in the 2,536MHz-2,690MHz range. It allowed IBC to use part of the band to provide a pay-TV service until 2009. The following year, it allowed Playwork to use the band to offer a pay-TV and wireless broadband service for 15 years. It also signed a memorandum of understanding with CAT Telecom to provide the network to run this service.
Later the NBTC’s broadcasting committee |told MCOT that it could no longer use the frequency for broadcasting as it was reserved for telecom services, but MCOT appealed to the commission, which appointed the 2.6GHz panel to work with MCOT to seek a mutually agreeable resolution.
Takorn Tantasith, secretary-general of the NBTC, said that if the commission agreed with the panel, it would forward the recommendations to the Digital Economy Committee. The committee might ask the junta to cite security orders under Article 44 of its provisional charter to allow the NBTC to pay damages to MCOT when it reclaims MCOT’s 2.6GHz spectrum.
Then the NBTC will appoint a task force to negotiate with MCOT on reclaiming the spectrum. It will set up a compensation fund, which will come from the up front fees from the planned new spectrum licence auctions. The NBTC will also hire a consultant to advise on the compensation.
The NBTC will put four licences on the block – two for 12.5MHz each in the 1,800MHz spectrum and two for 10MHz each in the 900MHz spectrum. The regulator will tender the 1,800MHz licences in November and take bids for the 900MHz licences in December.
One 1,800MHz block belongs to TrueMove and the other to Digital Phone Co. Their concessions from CAT Telecom expired in September 2013.
The 900MHz belongs to Advanced Info Service, whose concession comes to an end this September.
Sanpachai Huvanandana, acting chief executive officer of CAT, said CAT’s mission this year was to defend its ownership rights over 1,800MHz.
CAT granted a 50MHz-wide band from the 1,800MHz spectrum to Total Access Communication (DTAC) to provide cellular |service until September 2018. DTAC utilises 25MHz of the spectrum. Under the concession’s conditions, DTAC can use the remaining half only when it fully uses the first half, which it has not yet done.
CAT wants to use the idle 25MHz band to provide broadband cellular service after DTAC’s concession ends, while the NBTC is eager to reclaim the whole 1,800MHz spectrum from CAT after DTAC’s concession ends for reallocation via auction.
If CAT has to return this whole 50MHz band to the NBTC and the NBTC puts it under the hammer along with the 900MHz and the other 1,800MHz spectrum of TrueMove and DPC, CAT says it will also take part in the auction.
