FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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NBTC panel sets rental fees for CAT Telecom

NBTC panel sets rental fees for CAT Telecom

The telecom committee of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) yesterday concluded that CAT Telecom should get only Bt742,000 in transmission-network rental fees during the first stage of the remedy period undertaken by TrueMo

The figure is calculated from a 10-month network-leasing period, from September 16, 2013, until July 17, 2014. Earlier CAT asked for fees totalling Bt23.379 billion, based on a period from September 16, 2013, until September 15, 2014.

If CAT disagrees with the telecom committee’s figures it can ask it for a review. CAT is the owner of a 1,800-megahertz network under TrueMove and DPC concession contracts that expired on September 16, 2013.

After the concessions expired, the NBTC permitted TrueMove and DPC to continue migrating customers – those who had failed to move to other networks – for a year, during the so-called remedy period. If they generated revenue during that period, the rule was that they had to pass it on, after deducting expenses, to the state.

They have used CAT’s cellular-transmission network to serve their customers during the remedy period. The NBTC extended the remedy period for both operators for another year after the military seized power and the National Council for Peace and Order ordered the commission to suspend its plan to auction the 1,800MHz bands for 12 months.

The second phase is from September 2014 until the NBTC-organised 1,800MHz licence auction on November 11.

CAT has filed a lawsuit at the Central Administrative Court against the NBTC, TrueMove and DPC for failing to pay a network rental fee. Last month, the telecom committee asked TrueMove and DPC to pay revenue for the remedy period of September 16, 2013, through July 17, 2014, of Bt 1.07 billion and Bt628 million respectively. Both asked the NBTC to review that decision.

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