3g In Bkk/thailand

[andyc2006]

http://www.cellular-news.com/story/35463.php

3G Contract Awarded to Nokia-Siemens/Huawei in Thailand

­Thailand’s Total Access Communication has selected Nokia Siemens Networks and mainland’s Huawei Technologies to supply gear for a 3G network, a company official has announced. The vendors are to upgrade the network to 3G services the official, who declined to be named told the Reuters news agency.

Neither vendor has confirmed the contract win so far.

However, only a few weeks ago, TAC had announced that it will delay the launch of its 3G network until it sees more demand for mobile data services. The decision was taken by the company's new CEO, Tore Johnsen, who had taken charge of DTAC last November. The firm had previously earmarked THB5 billion ($147 million) for investment in 3G infrastructure during 2009.

"There is no need to rush into offering 3G services as long as demand for mobile data is still not there," Mr Johnsen told the Bangkok Post newspaper, adding that "we want to make sure that the Thai market is more than ready for 3G, particularly in the mobile data service area,"

AIS is already operating a limited 3G network in the capital city, but by reusing its existing 900Mhz spectrum as formal licenses in the more typical 2.1Ghz bands still have not been released.

Rival state controlled operator, TOT is proceeding with its own 3G network rollout and expects to have some 350,000 subscribers by the end of this year, and four million by 2013.

Posted to the site on 12th January 2009

Can anybody here comment on TOT's or AIS's 3G -- it's quality, who has access to it (employees only, or any ol' person), where it's available, etc...?

I'd love an alternative to my BKK landlord's very slow True DSL and my CAT/Hutch/Huawei GPRS/Edge aircard.

[monty]

I think the article is not entirely correct.

AIS has a partial 3G network in Chiang Mai, AFAIK not in Bangkok.

I doubt they will roll out anytime soon. AIS is stuck with their 900 Mhz license for which hardly any 3G equipment is available, and they can only use a very small part of that frequency as they need it for voice/gprs as well!

Dtac is in a better position as they have two frequency bands, 1800 Mhz which they use for voice and GPRS/Edge, and the 850 Mhz band which they don't use at all at the moment. They used to operate their now defunct analogue network on it. So they have the full 850 Mhz band available for data services AND most equipment can handle 3G on 850 Mhz.

Yet is is Dtac which indefinitely postponing roll out apparently due to lack of demand...

Bugger, especially considering Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos all have operational 3G networks

[MJo]

Even the poorest countries in Africa are operating 3G nowdays. Places like Ethiopia...

There is rumours out there that DTAC is starting to roll out in Q1 or Q2 but launching services to public might take time if they wait out to see how 2100 Mhz band licences will play out.

Edited January 13, 2009 by MJo

[dotcom]

There have been no auctions for 2100 mHz spectrum.

So it's still years away.