A new law aimed at creating an independent body in charge of 3G frequency allocation in Thailand has come into effect after receiving royal endorsement, Dow Jones reports quoting Natee Sukonrat, a commissioner at the National Telecommunications…
A new law aimed at creating an independent body in charge of 3G frequency allocation in Thailand has come into effect after receiving royal endorsement, Dow Jones reports quoting Natee Sukonrat, a commissioner at the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).
In mid-November, both the House of Representatives and the Senate approved an amended Frequency Allocation Bill that will help establish the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), replacing the NTC.
Once the NBTC is set up, the 3G spectrum auction is expected to start again, ending the long delay to the country’s licensing process.
However, some experts in the industry believe an auction is unlikely to take place within the next 12 months due to regulatory and political hurdles.
Back in September, the Thai Supreme Administrative Court upheld the suspension of the 3G licence auction, following a request from state-owned telcos CAT and TOT.
They both claimed that the NTC did not have the authority to award licences and that it should be replaced by the NBTC before the auction can start.
CAT and TOT also argued that the 3G auction could impact their revenues. Under existing concessions, operators pay about 25% to 30% of their revenue to state-owned companies. This would compare to 6% under the new 3G concessions to be awarded.
