The National Telecommunication Commission (NTC), Thailand’s telecoms regulator, has confirmed that the country’s main telecoms operators have received approval to take part in the 3G mobile licence auction.
Advanced Info Service (AIS), Total Access…
The National Telecommunication Commission (NTC), Thailand’s telecoms regulator, has confirmed that the country’s main telecoms operators have received approval to take part in the 3G mobile licence auction.
Advanced Info Service (AIS), Total Access Communication (TAC) and True Corp will be bidding for the two licences in the first round on 20 September, and a third licence will be auctioned in a second round within 90 days. True Corp may not get a licence in the first round, according to a Reuters report.
A fourth applicant, car importer Win Win NGV, was disqualified as it could not present the required guarantee deposit of THB1.28bn (US$41m).
The NTC said it would reveal the names of the qualified bidders on 14 September.
With that auction, Thailand’s telecoms market is opening up to foreign investors, explains Reuters. A few days ago, the NTC confirmed that draft regulations aimed at preventing foreign dominance of local telecom operators would not apply during the first stages of the auction. AIS is 19%-owned by Singapore Telecommunications, while TAC is controlled by Norway’s Telenor.
Other companies, including South Korea’s SK Telecom and China Mobile, have reportedly expressed interest in the auction. However, Malaysian mobile operator Axiata Group Berhad denied last week it was planning to apply for the 3G licence.
The starting price for the 3G licences has been set at THB12.8bn (US$402.9m).