3 G

[Jahil]

hello.

additional question: if yes, what is the rate for it?

Thanks for your answers

[meadish_sweetball]

Nope, 3G is not available anywhere in Thailand.

Some parts of Bangkok have the enhanced version of GSM known as EDGE though.

[lomatopo]

I think operators are still waiting for licenses to be auctioned/granted, but I honestly haven't followed this topic closely. I know Temasek wanted AIS to get the 3G license before the buy-out of Shin but not sure if the former PM made that happen and/or if it stuck?

Hutch does have a sort of 3G-like broadband wireless network (CDMA 2000 1xEVO) but it's not 3G has 3G is a GSM standard.

A recent presentation on BB status in Thailand.

[monty]

Real true 3G technology IS available in parts of Thailand.

Most of the 50 something provinces NOT covered by Hutch, have the CDMA-EVDO network installed by CAT.

This network allows speeds of up to 1024kbps.

Price is 999 Baht/month for unlimited access.

Same as with other ISP's, their price level necessitates a high sharing ratio (contention ratio), so you can expect speeds to be all over the place depending on the usage patterns of the other users on-line!

but it's not 3G has 3G is a GSM standard.

Huh? 3g is not a gsm standard, actually the majority of 3G networks are based on the CDMA network and not the gsm network!

[lomatopo]

Apologies, I took a few shortcuts in my attempt to tie 3G to GSM. I think many (other than Qualcomm) expect WCDMA, rather than CDMA2000, to be adopted by most legacy GSM (850/900/1800/1900) operators, like AIS/One-2-Call, dTAC/Happy and TrueMove here in Thailand. Further the ITU standards deem WCDMA to be the air interface for UMTS, which is the 3G transition from GSM infrastructures.

3G is really about a whole host of broadband applications and services of which high-speed internet access is but one. Hutch's 3G-CDMA2000 implementation in Thailand is rather an odd (and lame) duck, in most respects, with little take-up. Hutch does not sell any quasi 3G/CDMA2000 handsets, but rather CDMA handsets and CDMA2000 PC Cards/modems.

Any 3G-capable handsets sold to date in Thailand are WCDMA based (GSM900/1800/1900 and WCDMA2100), and they work great on Japanese 3G networks!

I'm guessing that the authorities in Thailand do not want AIS (aka the Shin-gapore Mobile Telephone Company) to have a 3G license, and are hesitant to grant DTAC (another foreign-owned company) or TrueMove licenses either. So expect 3G traction in Thailand to be non-existent, which is probably not that big a deal given the relative lack of demand for the enabled applications.

[Florin]

I don't think there is a lack of demand for 3G in Thailand...the data transfer speeds alone would be a godsend to any mobile business user. Videotelephony has always been a lame duck because let's face it, who wants to also be seen while talking on the phone? But I think data transfer demand is there, what with mobile Youtube, smartphones with web browsers, etc.

[Guest Reimar]

After reading the post's, I called to NTC for to get news about 3G in Thailand because I know some of the NTC members who is involved in the 3G setup.

According to him there is today an meeting at NTC about that Issue. As soon as he has some news he would like to tell me. But NTC try to get the operators in Thailand to be ready within this year and startup the 3G service.

Soon as I get some news I will post it here.

[Florin]

I don't see it happening soon at all...at least certainly not with any kind of meaningful coverage, even in Bangkok. The mobile phone operators are (understandably) reluctant in investing in the rather expensive hardware upgrades required when the government won't even give them a ###### licence (which in itself will cost QUITE a bit)

EDIT: CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TAKE THE WORD D-A-M-N OUT OF THE PROFANITY FILTER???????????????????

Edited June 29, 2007 by Florin

[Guest Reimar]

As promissed, I was getting a call from NTC again just 1 hour ago.

The result of the meeting today was that NTC appointed a UK based company for consultation about the installation, setup and licensing for the 3G project. The time frame for completion is beginning next year (2008). The reason for this "late" time frame: The Comissioner on charge will be retired in September 2007 an a new one will be appointed soon. In the meantime NTC will carry on with the setup.

As I asked for the stage of the "Malaysia" International Gateway: NTC already issued a few licenses (6 or 8) for the connection via Malaysia (this will bypass the TOT/CAT Gateway). According to the NTC member, the cost for the Internet service will go down within next year and the quality of service will be going up at same period. NTC is waiting for another ISP for issue licenses.

Hopefully after the election end of the year will change a lot and NTC is planning to push the international connection as soon as possible but earliest after the appointing of the new Comissioner.

NTC is also planning some action againts TOT because TOT "forget" the service they have to do for the Public! There is some action planned for the next week.

******************************

We've to wait an see!

[Oishi]

3G is NOT commercially available in Thailand yet.

The coupe caused the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) to suspend developing new policies and granting licenses. The NTC board has yet to conclude if it could proceed with preparing licensing regulations for the new 3G license. Allthough they recently supported the issuing of licenses in Thailand it is not only the NTC board that can grant these licenses because the setup in Thailand is, that 3G is to be considered a broadcasting technology also - therefor a second licens for broadcasting have to be obtained from the NBC

Given the current and past problems within the Thai telecom sector the issuing of licenses will not happen before a elected government is in place.

The issuing of licenses will probaly be exactly the same system as seen anywhere else - via auctions.

Having said that, TOT does have a "license" for 3G.

This would make them very attractive for operators like AIS, DTAC or True, they could, instead of paying a lot of money for a licenses and the whole infrastructure setup, team up with TOT and lease airtime on their network instead.

Edited June 30, 2007 by Oishi