NBTC plans to reassign part of 1500MHz spectrum
THE NATIONAL Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) plans to reassign the 1500-megahertz spectrum used by TOT and two local units of Chevron to cellular service.
TOT uses 35.15MHz of the frequency for rural telephone and signal transmission services, while Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production and Chevron Offshore (Thailand) use 28MHz each for surveying and petroleum production.
TOT has informed the Information and Communication Technology Ministry of its plan to provide mobile-phone services on 1500MHz.
Thanapant Raichareon, deputy NBTC secretary-general, said yesterday that Thailand and 10 other countries had supported the standardisation of the 1500MHz spectrum for telecom service during the World Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, last month.
The NBTC will take four years to rearrange this spectrum.
Thailand is also keen to reallocate the 700MHz spectrum used for digital and analog TV to wireless broadband.
The NBTC will have to wait until 2023, when Channel 7’s concession expires, to be able to reclaim this spectrum. Channel 7’s concession is the longest.
The NBTC has auctioned off many spectra for telecom service since they can generate huge income for the state.
The NBTC will put two licences for the 900MHz spectrum up for bidding on Tuesday after successfully auctioning off two licences for 1800MHz last month.
In 2018, 45MHz of bandwidth from the 1800MHz spectrum and 10MHz from 850MHz will be |freed up for auction when the two concessions of Total Access Communi-cation (DTAC) come to an end.
The watchdog will also put the 2.3-gigahertz, 2.6GHz and 450MHz bands on the block in the future.
TOT currently holds 60MHz of bandwidth from the 2.3GHz spectrum, while MCOT holds 190MHz from 2.6GHz.
