Interlink sees boom times for digital world

This is due to the low level of competition and increased demand from the public and private sectors, which has allowed the newly-listed firm to explore and venture into the service side of the digital world, it said.

Interlink Communication was listed in the Market for Alternative Investment for 10 year before making the crucial step into the Stock Exchange of Thailand last August with assets of Bt3.2 billion as of the first half of this year and a “near projection” profit of Bt168 million in the same period.

The firm has invested around Bt300 million in the first six months from an annual target investment of Bt600 million in 2015 with a track record of minimum 15-20 per cent average revenue growth and planned road map of reaching Bt10 billion worth of assets.

“The digital infrastructure market is doing well this year because in order to become a digital economy we need a well-placed infrastructure that benefits us directly and the infrastructure we are talking about is truly needed in every house and office,” said Nuttanai Anuntarum-porn, managing director of Interlink.

“Customers do not think too much when deciding where to buy and they do not have to compare which company has better products because the two famous brands that supply LAN and fibre optic lines in this country are both our clients so we can see that our order and sales growths are going to continue to expand,” he added.

The constant need for faster Internet connections means that the digital infrastructure must improve continuously. Sales of CCTV have increased after the August 17 bombing has highlighted the necessity of such products and that has consequently increased the demand for CCTV lines, he said.

The fourth-generation (4G) spectrum auction scheduled for November is also something to look forward to for the digital infrastructure market since mobile operators will have to invest in infrastructure after they win the auction. 

“The government’s promotion of the tourism sector means that better Internet connections and electrical lines are now needed more than ever on tourism islands such Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan. Interlink is bidding for the government project to link underground electrical cables from the mainland to Koh Tao at a cost of Bt1.7 billion and to Koh Samui at a cost of Bt2.1 billion by 2017,” Nuttanai revealed.

“Only two companies in Thailand have the capability to complete the job within the given time-frame so we are confident that we will win one of the two projects,” he added.

Nevertheless, Interlink Communication’s subsidiary, Interlink Telecom, is expected to “spin-off” from the mother company and will face heavy competition. But it is unfazed since it can offer something different, he said.

“Interlink’s fibre optic lines are the only ones allowed to go alongside railway lines, which means businesses can better diversify their risk since Internet and phone lines on electrical polls along the roads face bigger risk of damage,” Nuttanai said. 

“Plus, the growing use of 4G means that better stabilisation in the connection is much more in need than before,” he said.

“The competition in telecommunications is high because we have to compete with mobile operators that focus on a consumer base but Interlink Telecom will concentrate on a network base with lower competition.”