FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

CAT board backs use of 20MHz for 4G service

CAT board backs use of 20MHz for 4G service

THE BOARD of CAT Telecom on Thursday approved the state agency’s plan to upgrade the idle 20MHz band of its 1800MHz spectrum to provide 4G service under a possible partnership with Total Access Communication (DTAC), acting CAT president Surapant Meknavin

The service will last until 2018 when the concession CAT has granted to DTAC for this spectrum expires.
The upgrade is expected to take place in the third quarter.
CAT granted the concession to DTAC to offer a cellular service on 50MHz of 1800MHz, half of which DTAC currently uses. Later CAT allocated 5MHz of the remaining idle 25MHz to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission to auction off, leaving 20MHz unused.
CAT will draw up the partnership contract with DTAC, which will see DTAC rolling out 9,500 cellular base stations for a 4G service. But the network will still be owned by DTAC. Then CAT will send the contract for examination by the Council of State, the ICT Ministry, and the Cabinet.
DTAC will use 85 per cent of capacity of the planned network to provide the 4G service, while CAT will wholesale the balance capacity to interested companies.
DTAC has declined to comment on the matter.
A CAT source said that CAT board wanted to extend the use of this idle band from 2018 until 2025. The board had advised management to tell the government that if the valid period of the spectrum was extended, CAT would continue to gain substantial revenue from using the spectrum to develop wireless broadband services.

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