Auction of 900MHz licences to go ahead despite TOT opposition: NBTC member
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THE NATIONAL Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will press ahead with the plan to auction two licences on the 900-megahertz spectrum, regardless of TOT's plan to hold on to its part of the spectrum after its concessions expire at the e
NBTC member Prasert Silpiphat said yesterday that the tentative date of the 900MHz auction was November 12, one day after the auction of licences on the 1,800MHz spectrum. The original date for the 900MHz sale was December 15.
He added that the NBTC was expected to finalise the auction date for 900MHz licences this month. Two licences of 10MHz each will be up for bid.
Yesterday the commission held the last public hearing on the draft rules for the 900MHz auction, in Khon Kaen. At the event, around 50 TOT employees led by the president of their union, Anushit Thoopluang, submitted a list of names of 4,300 staff who opposed the 900MHz licence auction. The TOT union may take legal action against the auction soon.
TOT granted a 900MHz concession to Advanced Info Service, which will expire on September 30. TOT claims that it still owns the rights to the spectrum until 2025.
Prasert admitted that the 900MHz auction plan had faced many obstacles, but said the NBTC must press ahead with it since by law all spectra from expired concession contracts should be returned to the regulator for reallocation.
The NBTC is considering raising the minimum bid for a 900MHz licence to Bt12.864 billion, or 80 per cent of the full spectrum value, from the current Bt11.256 billion or 70 per cent.
The licence term is 15 years.
The telecom committee of the NBTC will convene on the hearing results on September 15 and the NBTC board will consider them the next day.
