FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

TOT seeks USO 2.3GHz deal from regulator

TOT seeks USO 2.3GHz deal from regulator

TOT will ask for National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission permission to use part of its 2.3-gigahertz spectrum to provide public wireless broadband services to remote areas in its continued bid to keep some parts of the spectrum.

TOT’s senior executive vice president for business development of fixed and Internet broadband, Wudthidanai Thitakasikorn, said the state enterprise would ask the NBTC to allow it to keep 20MHz of its total of 64MHz bandwidth on the 2.3GHz spectrum to provide services under the regulator’s universal service obligation (USO) scheme. The rest of the bandwidth would be transferred to the NBTC, he said.
According to the USO scheme, the licensing body will hire telecom companies to provide services in remote areas.
TOT will ask for NBTC permission to change the objective of this 2.3GHz spectrum use in order to provide the USO service by using fourth-generation wireless broadband technology. It might also ask for NBTC permission to try offering the 4G service, Wudthidanai added.
Currently TOT uses the spectrum to provide rural telephone services. TOT holds the 900MHz and 2.3GHz spectra.
The NBTC is keen to reclaim telecom spectra from the state enterprises for reallocation by auction.
The NBTC will put up for bid four licences – two of 12.5 megahertz each on the 1,800MHz spectrum of TrueMove and Digital Phone Co, and two of 10MHz each on the 900MHz spectrum of Advanced Info Service.
The NBTC will hold the 1,800MHz auction in November, and take bids for the two 900MHz licences in December.

May approach committee
Wudthidanai added that if the licensing body declined to grant its request, TOT would ask the ad hoc National Digital Economy Committee to permit it to use the 2.3GHz spectrum to provide 4G technology under the USO scheme.
TOT won USO deals worth Bt429 million from the NBTC to provide telecom services in Phitsanulok and Nong Khai. It is expected to sign the deal within the next three months.

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