3G Plan Completed In 6 Months: Abhisit

[george]

3G plan completed in 6 months: PM

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday instructed the Information and Communications Technology Ministry to complete plans for TOT's 3G service and for concession conversion within six months.

He also advised the ICT Ministry to overhaul the operations of CAT Telecom and TOT, the two state telecom enterprises under the ministry, to improve their performances.

He wants to see the 3G service offered in the country. But TOT has to have a clear vision on how to proceed with 3G if it wants to limit its role to providing the 3G network on a wholesale basis, or providing both the network service and a retail 3G cellular service.

TOT also should wait for the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to finalise the auction rules for the 3G-2.1GHz licences before moving ahead with its plan to roll out a nationwide 3G network, he said.

This is to prevent a possible conflict between the NTC's auction rules and TOT's 3G business direction.

TOT already launched its own retail 3G-2.1GHz service on December 3 - but only covering Greater Bangkok - over its old 2G network, which has been upgraded to 3G.

It is marketing the new high-speed service to its 20,000 staff and the 10,000 customers of Thai Mobile, its cellular service subsidiary.

It has also appointed five companies to market their 3G services to the public using its network.

TOT is seeking approval for its plan to roll out a brand-new 3G network nationwide at a cost of Bt20 billion.

Abhisit told the ICT Ministry to come up with a clear plan to deal with the amendments of some telecom concessions under CAT and TOT over the past years, which did not follow the Public-Private Joint Venture Act of 1992.

The ministry also has to come up with a clear plan for concession conversion.

ICT Minister Ranongrak Suwanchawee said his ministry was also expected to finalise by next month a plan to deal with the ending of the service life of the Thaicom 2 satellite next year.

The ministry has studied three options - granting a new satellite concession to a new service provider, asking Thaicom to build a replacement satellite or allowing Thaicom to lease a foreign satellite to continue providing the service.

-- The Nation 2009-12-15

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[Valentine]

This 3G saga has been dragging on for far too long. There are just too many vested interests wanting to get their fingers in the pie.

[LaoPo]

This 3G saga has been dragging on for far too long. There are just too many vested interests wanting to get their fingers in the pie.

But June 15th, .... the 3G plan is completed !

Abhisit says so, but to be sure I left the year out

LaoPo

[gotlost]

We are still laughing at you.

[useronthenet]

Whilst Thailand is still squabbling over who gets what over what is commonly now accepted as an almost obsolete form of internet technology.

Meanwhile .. back in the 'real' world countries like Sweden have already announced the release of '4G'

http://www.thelocal.se/23830/20091214/

Thailand must start to get it's act together as it's becoming increasingly evident that it is being left far behind.

More importantly, Thailand is loosing out against other similar Asean countries who have significantly benefited by introducing this technology very swiftly .. which will certainly determine whether say a company would invest here or not as most need the latest technology in order to compete with say their competitors etc. I'm sure it has affected tourism and those thinking of moving to Thailand either on a temporary or permanent basis as now this type of article in abundant everywhere on the internet, and will certainly sway the minds of those considering to move here.

I do hope that Thailand does conform and will just accept that there are some things that need to be done in order to move forward.

[khunjake]

Meanwhile .. back in the 'real' world countries like Sweden have already announced the release of '4G'

http://www.thelocal.se/23830/20091214/

Yep. 4G (LTE) already being field tested in US and Korea now, will go live in Q1 2010.

[animatic]

Too small pie too many hands, how can my clique profit from this,

not how can the whole contry profit from this.

And too little ability to make a decision, without waiting for someone above,

to make it for you, when those above don't understand the question asked.

So the whole 3G opportunity is lost and 4G is actually in operation in other places.

Viet Nam can get 3G going, but not Thailand, with it's greater technological abilities,

and that squarely falls on the ministerial inabilities to JUST MAKE A DECISION.

Kow Tow face saving as a means of national inertia.

[livinthailandos]

I don't seriously ever think 3G will ever get going due to

A. concession fee's that CAT & TOT are going to lose due to this new license area. I read that right now CAT & TOT get about 20% fee's from other carriers for the mobile phone service. I will re read this area but I know the fee's where high. They pointed out that the new fees due to 3g TOT & CAT would only get like 5% so of course TOT & CAT really have no interest in making 3G working unless they are making lots of money

B. I happen to see a graph on the talks and progress of 3G, it started from what I remember from 2004, Basically since 2004 no actual progress has ever been made, so bangkok as a small area of 3G, this is practically 2010 and we don't even have 3G while cambodia does already

C. I say forget 3G and skip and try to find a way just to move ahead to 4G although since some players can't even get 3G going I don't seriously see how 4G will get going. maybe if were lucky will have 4G by 2025 or later. Especially since its going to take 4 years to get 80% coverage in thailand just for 3G thats assuming 3G even gets off the ground.

[dudopode]

hahhahahahahaahhhahahah so I guess in about 1 year, the asian IT hub (that is what Thailand claims to be) will finally reach the same level of technology that Lao, Vietnam, Cambodia,.... achieved years ago ;O)

well done!

[BangkokJazz]

Another 3G thread - great....because we don't have enough of those running.

[infernalman7]

How sad. The funny thing is that a skip to 4G is not possible as well if they cannot finalized the spectrum issues. LOL. Epic fail to the Thai govt.

[bkkjames]

Can't we just aim for 5G, or the nearest G-Spot that seems unattainable?

By the time we get 3G, Kenny G will be fashionable again.

[Payboy]

Who needs 3G when we already have beeGees - I even have a CD?

Edited December 15, 2009 by Payboy

[hhgz]

"3G plan completed in 6 months: PM"

After the plan is completed, it will take another year to get it implemented. I'm not going to hold my breath.

[animatic]

Can't we just aim for 5G, or the nearest G-Spot that seems unattainable?

By the time we get 3G, Kenny G will be fashionable again.

Sorry THAT will NEVER happen.

They could give away a K.G. CD, and free G-strings with girls included,

and STILL not make K. G. more than an annoyance.

[Chunkton]

You have to love the ongoing press releases here, at least you know what will actually take forever or never happen. As before commented too many snouts trying to get into the trough, so nothing happens.

[virtualtraveller]

It's all fairly obvious, can't you see:

WE DO HAVE 3G in Thailand, TOT have launched it, the auctions for the competitors will not happen for years (it will all fall by the wayside after the next election) and our dear old state company will enjoy a monopoly for years to come. Wasn't that the plan all along.

Or, Thaksin will come marching in on his big white Cambodian horse and solve the whole puzzle within weeks, or days even, and take all the credit, it's been scripted from the start!