AIS wins court injunction

In a statement released after the court's decision late Tuesday night, AIS said that the injunction would also allow the subscribers to change their handsets to more advance technology of 3G/4G.

AIS sought the court injunction following the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission's directive that the 900MHz spectrum would be handed over to True Move H Universal Communication on March 14 which would hence disrupt services to AIS's 2G subscribers. AIS had operated its 2G service on this spectrum for over a decade but after the end of concession, the spectrum was put on auction and True Move H won the bid.

The transfer of the spectrum would affect around 400,000 customers of AIS, while the remaining 7.6 million 2G subscribers have already migrated to a new service provider, AWN, which is an AIS subsidiary. Without the injunction, among the 7.6 million subscribers, those who own phones that could operate singly on 900MHz spectrum would also face service disruption on March 16. 

The Court ruled that the handover directive by the NBTC's telecom panel was announced in such a short notice. It also said the injuction should not cause financial damage to True Move H, given the company's own decision to set aside part of the spectrum for public services until May 31.

The injunction would extend the end of service to these mobile phone users from midnight of March 15 to midnight of April 14.

"The Central Administrative Court’s verdict reveals that the remedy shall be extended for another 30 days (until April 14, 2016) resulting in the service continuity of such group of customers for such a period of time. AIS strongly affirm the intention to continuingly do whatever it takes to ensure service continuity of the customers," said Somchai Lertsutiwong, chief executive officer of AIS.