Govt panel acknowledges CAT's bandwidth transfer offer
THE ad hoc National Digital Economy Committee yesterday acknowledged the proposal that CAT Telecom return 5 megahertz of the 1,800MHz spectrum to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commis-sion for auction. This will pave the way for the NBT
Meanwhile, TOT executives yesterday pressed the NBTC to allow the state agency to keep 10MHz out of the 20MHz it holds on the 900MHz spectrum after the concession of Advanced Info Service (AIS) ends on September 30.
Information and Communica-tions Technology Minister Pornchai Rujiprapa said CAT was willing to return 5MHz of the unused 25MHz held by Total Access Communication (DTAC) to the NBTC for the benefit of the national broadband policy.
CAT Telecom’s board on Monday approved the state agency’s plan to transfer the 5MHz to the NBTC on condition that it be allowed to use the remaining 20MHz of this spectrum until the end of its licence in 2025, instead of 2018 when DTAC’s concession from CAT expires.
Pornchai said the ministry would consider the legal aspects of CAT’s request.
He said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who chaired the ad hoc digital committee, had instructed relevant parties to clarify all the issues related to the auction to the public.
Today (Thurs) the NBTC telecom committee will consider the digital economy committee’s conclusion on the 5MHz matter and will call the NBTC board to meeting the same day on the same issue.
The telecom committee will also consider the possibility of auctioning bandwidth on both the 900MHz and 1,800MHz spectra on November 11, instead of only bands on 1,800MHz as in the existing plan.
The telecom committee will also consider the proposed starting bid of Bt563 million per megahertz for the 900MHz spectrum, which is equivalent to 70 per cent of the full spectrum value.
The total spectrum features 20MHz of bandwidth, which will be divided into two licences valid for 15 years.
