National Telecommunications commissioner Natee Sukonrat was quoted saying that the regulator is looking to auction 3G licences by the end of the year.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications (NBTC), aimed at replacing the NTC – which is not…
National Telecommunications commissioner Natee Sukonrat was quoted saying that the regulator is looking to auction 3G licences by the end of the year.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications (NBTC), aimed at replacing the NTC – which is not allowed to issue 3G licences – is currently in the process of selecting new commissioners.
Once the NBTC is set up, sometime this year, the 3G spectrum auction is expected to start again, ending the long delay to the country’s licensing process.
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 2G 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.
TOT is currently the only operator with 2.1Mhz spectrum but, in an interview with TelecomFinance, National Telecommunications commissioner Sudharma Yoonaidharma explained that despite receiving the licence 10 years ago, TOT has never used it. He added that True Move is under pressure to get a 3G licence as its 2G contract expires in two years. AIS still has five years left, while DTAC can use its 2G licence for another eight years.
Meanwhile, a 3G partnership between CAT and True, as well as TOT’s 3G tender are currently being investigated to verify whether they comply with the country’s Trade Competition Act, according to reports.
The Thai Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) wants to look into why CAT and True entered agreements without setting pricing guidelines, and whether they broke rules outlined in the 1992 Public-Private Joint Venture Act.
TOT and the country’s ICT ministry, for their part, will have to explain why TOT’s 3G tender seems aimed at one bidder only.
