THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Cellphone operators to charge on per-second basis under new rule

Cellphone operators to charge on per-second basis under new rule

Mobile phone operators will launch optional airtime packages from March that will charge subscribers on a per-second basis, replacing the current per-minute rate, which collectively will amount to about Bt4.5 billion savings a month for consumers.

This follows an NBTC order issued yesterday.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) yesterday called a meeting with the operators to discuss the issue after the National Reform Council (NRC) complained that the NBTC had failed to force mobile-phone operators to change the per-minute rate they currently used.
NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said that all operators would have to change all mobile-phone tariff packages to comply with the per-second-basis charging policy within six months to a year.
Currently, all operators systems can charge on per-second basis but are offering per-minute basis packages due to the interconnection charge between operators of Bt0.45 per minute. Interconnection charge is the rate that each operator charges the call termination between the operators.
NBTC will soon announce a lower interconnection rate to comply with the new policy of charging on a per-second basis.
NBTC commissioner Prawit Leestapornvongsa said that it was estimated that all operators got around Bt4.5 billion per month, calculating at the basic charging rate at Bt1.50 per minute.
“The telecom committee is expected to propose to the NBTC board on January 21 to consider the new draft regulation for consumer protection of charging on per-second basis,” Prawit said.

nationthailand