Dtac To Launch 3g In Phuket And Chonburi

[george]

DTAC to launch 3G in two provinces

BANGKOK: -- DTAC, the country's second-largest mobile operator, is preparing to introduce high-speed packet access (HSPA) commercial services in Phuket and Chon Buri as part of its five billion baht third-generation (3G) investment plan.

A nationwide offering is expected in 2009 in line with the wider availability of HSPA devices, including mobile handsets, laptop computers and data cards, said Sigve Brekke, the chief executive officer of DTAC.

Mr Brekke said that DTAC today would submit a letter to the National Telecommunications Commission requesting approval to upgrade its analogue 850 Megahertz frequency to HSPA.

DTAC has been in talks with CAT Telecom to form a joint-venture firm to provide 3G services on the 850 MHz frequency. The NTC has also given approval to DTAC's larger rival, Advanced Info Service (AIS) to upgrade 30 base stations to HSPA in a programme expected to cost $20 million.

''If the NTC gives us approval shortly, we can start providing HSPA commercial services by the end of this year,'' Mr Brekke said. ''Phuket and Chon Buri will be the first two commercial provinces for HSPA.''

He said DTAC selected Phuket and Chon Buri as they were small areas with high data communication usage and potential demand. Target customers in Phuket would be foreigners, and in Chon Buri they would be factory owners and workers. He said DTAC would provide customers a simple package concept with a possible monthly fee of 450 baht and no limit on data volume usage.

DTAC will need to install additional 1,800 HSPA base stations for nationwide services.

The company currently has 9,000 2G base stations.

Mr Brekke said DTAC planned to introduce HSPA services on a development platform consisting of network, content and handsets. Data communications services would be designed for laptop users while music, television and video streaming would be for handset customers.

He said the 850 MHz frequency offered a great advantage over others including 900 MHz due to its wider coverage and ability to work with a variety of devices.

In comparison, Mr Brekke said, WiMax on top of the 900 frequency would not work with handsets, but only laptop computers.

''I don't understand why other operators are moving to WiMax instead of HSPA even though it can provide services on both laptops and the popular handsets,'' he said.

DTAC, he added, would not wait for 3G licences from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) due to the unclear policy.

''We are definitely moving into HSPA where the technology doesn't need a new licence, as it can be operated under the existing concession,'' he said.

--Bangkok Post 2008-03-31