Mobile LTE becomes Thailand’s second satellite operator

Thaicom was the first licensed satellite operator in Thailand.
NBTC member Prawit Leesatapornwongsa said Mobile LTE would be granted a 15-year licence to operate both a satellite-transponder leasing service and a satellite-signal uplink/downlink service.
He said the company had to operate in compliance with NBTC rules and would coordinate with the Minister Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to reserve an orbital slot.
Mobile LTE was founded in 2014 with registered capital of Bt100 million. Chief executive officer Varayuth Yenbamroong said the company was co-founded by him and his uncle Chatchai. It currently holds an NBTC licence as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) but has yet to start that business.
Chatchai Yenbamroong was an executive in the Shinawatra directory business group founded by the family of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. He resigned and competed against the Shin Group to bid for a directory-business concession from TOT.
Varayuth said the Mobile LTE satellite business would be financially supported by companies in Silicon Valley and an energy business.
According to the company’s registration with the Department of Business Development, Yenbamroong family members jointly own 56 per cent of Mobile LTE, while British Virgin Islands-registered Petroleum International Investment Corp owns 44 per cent. 
According to its licence application, Mobile LTE will lease a number of transponders from a Chinese satellite operator to |provide the service in Thailand this year before leasing a |whole satellite to provide the service in 2019. It will build its own satellite in 2021. Northern Gulf Petroleum is its financial supporter.
Varayuth said that in the initial phase, the company wanted to develop low-and medium-Earth-orbit communication satellites just like Iridium, a global satellite network for mobile voice and data communications, but with more advanced technology. 
It plans to launch a geosynchronous satellite like those of Thaicom within five years. 
He said he had experience in the satellite-service business in the United States.
He said the company would also propose to be TOT’s partner to offer wireless broadband service on the state agency’s 2.3-gigahertz spectrum.
Mobile LTE was one of the companies picking up bid documents for the 1,800-megahertz spectrum auction in 2015, but it did not join the bidding. It was also one of the companies that proposed to be TOT’s partner to provide wireless broadband service on TOT’s 2.1GHz band. The state agency finally selected Advanced Info Service as its partner.