Thai CAT Expects To Get 300,000 Customers For CDMA Svc

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's state-owned CAT Telecom PCL expects to gain 300,000 new customers this year after the planned fourth quarter launch of its code division multiple access, or CDMA, mobile phone network in provincial areas, CAT Telecom President Witit Sujjapong said Friday.

Also on Friday, the company contracted Huawei Technologies Co. (HWI.YY) to build the new CDMA network, covering 51 provinces nationwide. The contract is worth THB7.20 billion.

Witit told reporters that Huawei is scheduled to complete the first phase of 800 base stations in the next 12 months and the remaining 1,600 stations within two years from now.

"For next year, we're targeting to gain more than one million new customers," he said.

Witit said CAT, which is the latest player in Thailand's mobile phone market, will compete on both price and technology.

He claimed that the CDMA system has lower operating costs compared with GSM technology used by existing operators, allowing it to use pricing strategy to attract low-income customers. It also expects to attract high-income customers with third-generation mobile phone technology, which is much faster and more efficient than the 2.5G used by other players, including the market leader, Advanced Info Service PCL (ADVANC.TH).

The CDMA network in 51 provinces will be linked with the existing one in 25 provinces, including Bangkok, under the operation of CAT's cellphone joint venture with Hong Kong's Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. (0013.HK). The joint venture currently has around 650,000 customers.

However, Witit said CAT hasn't made a decision yet on whether the new CDMA network will be operated by the joint venture or CAT alone.

"We are in talks with Hutchison now, and expect to reach a conclusion in the next one or two months," he said.

Regarding its initial public offering plan, he said CAT plans to float its shares to the public around July.

The company has recently appointed Germany's Deutsche Bank AG (DB), Finansa PCL (FNS.TH) and Kim Eng Securities PCL (KEST.TH) as advisers on its listing plan.

"Our advisers are conducting due diligence on our company right now. We will have a clear plan around late March," Witit said.

Proceeds from the IPO will be used to fund the expansion and marketing of its mobile phone service, he said.

--Yahoo News 2005-02-04

Do we really need another set of Telephone masts defiling the view of the Thai countryside?

Does CDMA really offer anything new, that GSM cannot provide,

AND that the customers really want?

We use CDMA here on Saipan and I must say that the GSM service I get in Thailand is vastly superior. Maybe, on this small island, Verizon just doesn't offer affordable advanced services. But, for plain old voice and text the service in Thailand is much better.

Do we really need another set of Telephone masts defiling the view of the Thai countryside?

Yes!

CDMA can offer substantially faster wireless internet access, depending on what flavour it is.

Not too many people care about that today, but they will soon

Do we really need another set of Telephone masts defiling the view of the Thai countryside?

Does CDMA really offer anything new, that GSM cannot provide,

AND that the customers really want?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here is the UK all the major's have 3g networks.

We have videophones that allow us to see the people we are talking too and vice versa. ( sounds exciting but the reality is pretty dull....unless you have a very naughty girlfriend )

you can send video messages, download mp3's for playback on handsets. i have a feature when i download the video of goals from the football team i support.

I think that given the amount of "face" that Thai's attach to mobile ownership that all these services will be much sought after.

Hutchinson Telecom are the most likely suppliers because they have networks in Hong kong and Oz, their call centre is in India.

Yes the masts are ugly, recently here in Birmingham some residents pulled one down in a protest!!!