Dtac ready for 4G auctions

The company also confirmed that the unused 4.8 MHz on the 1800 MHz band would be returned. It will become part of the auctions, slated for later this year.

According to its chief executive officer, Lars Norling, Dtac is in the process of obtaining legal approvals from both the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and CAT Telecom. Currently, Dtac is yet to receive formal approvals to proceed. 

He said Dtac was set to create new dimensions in Thailand’s telecommunications industry, which includes forming a telecommunications tower and fibre-optic joint venture with CAT Telecom and inking a partnership agreement with Dtac TriNet Co Ltd. and Advanced Wireless Network Co Ltd (AWN) to share telecom towers between the two companies. 

The company's next major step is to bid for both 1800 MHz and 900 MHz frequencies in the upcoming 4G auctions in order to help unlock the industry’s potential by using telecommunication infrastructure to ensure access and connectivity while increasing service standards and encouraging new innovations in the telecommunications ecosystem - all in line with the government’s digital economy policy that aims to drive mobile internet penetration and achieve 80 per cent active internet users in Thailand by 2017.

“Thailand is experiencing a leapfrog growth in mobile broadband, supported by the government’s digital economy strategy, which drives the demand of spectrum for wireless communication services. Therefore, it is critical for the government to regulate spectrum management, make available sufficient spectrum for mobile services, and only intervene in case of spectrum hoarding,” saidLars.

Dtac has given its full support to the government in developing a roadmap that clearly defines the spectrum to be auctioned and timelines for transparency in spectrum management and maximum benefit for all parties concerned. With a clear roadmap, the telecommunications industry will be able to plan ahead to optimise the use of spectrum resources and design the best and most efficient telecom infrastructure that meets the growing demand in the country.  

In a related development, its subsidiary, Digital Phone Co Ltd (DPC), is in the process of migrating its remaining subscribers from its concession-expired spectrum, and Dtac will then move its 1800 MHz subscribers to that vacant block of spectrum, as part of the re-farming process. 

"The process will take a considerably long time as it involves the migration of all our 1800 MHz subscribers in Thailand.” said Lars.