Jas Mobile budgets Bt50 billion to bid for 1800MHz licence auction

JAS MOBILE BROADBAND, a newly established subsidiary of Jasmine International, has set aside a budget of at least Bt50 billion to join the bidding for 1800 MHz licences and for the rollout of the 1800 MHz network.

“We’ll join the bidding for sure and we’re serious about acquiring a licence,” said Sombat Punsiripat, a director of Jas Mobile.

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) said the bidding for the two 1800 MHz licences will take place on November 11 and it is in the process of finalising the auction date of the two 900 MHz licences. 

Jasmine set up Jas Mobile last month to compete for the mobile phone service business. 

Sombat said the company’s top priority was to bid for the 1800MHz licence, as it is the present standard spectrum for providing 4G wireless broadband service. Jas Mobile is confident it can compete with other potential bidders, which are likely to be the three major mobile phone service operators. 

The bid documents for the 1800MHz licences have already been picked up by seven companies: Advanced Wireless Network, DTAC Trinet, DTAC Broadband, TrueMove H Universal Communication, Hutchison Telecommunications (Thailand), Real Move and Jas Mobile.

On Friday, True Corp filed to the Stock Exchange of Thailand its board resolutions to authorise its wholly owned company, TrueMove H Universal Communication, to participate in the auctions of 1800 MHz and 900 MHz licences.

Sombat said that if Jas Mobile can acquire a licence, it aims to secure around 3 million subscribers to the 4G service within a year of operations by tapping 1.8 million existing broadband subscribers of Jasmine’s broadband Internet service provider Triple T Broadband. The number of Triple T’s broadband Internet subscribers is expected to reach 2 million households soon and each household might have around 5 members.

He said Jasmine group has many options to fund the 4G service business development, including seeking a strategic partnership and cash from Jasmine Broadband Internet Infrastructure Fund (JASIF).