TOT and AIS agree to hold talks on roaming

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TOT and AIS agree to hold talks on roaming

By USANEE MONGKOLPORN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- TOT and its concession holder, Advanced Info Service, have agreed to discuss an AIS request to roam on the state agency's third-generation network in the greater Bangkok area. The move ends a weeklong row that prompted AIS to threaten to disconnect TOT's 3G subscribers from voice roaming on its own network.

TOT senior executive vice president Wichien Naksrinual yesterday said the two companies would soon meet to discuss details of the AIS request.

He said the two sides understood each other and promised there would be no disconnection of TOT's 3G subscribers from roaming for voice services on the AIS network.

Also yesterday, the National Telecommunications Commission summoned both parties to provide more information on AIS's request.

NTC deputy secretary-general Prasert Apipunya said the request appeared to involve only data roaming, and thus both parties could seek an agreement themselves. However, after reaching a deal, they must submit the details for NTC consideration.

Last week, AIS threatened to disconnect TOT's 3G subscribers travelling upcountry from accessing voice services on its network.

This move followed TOT's declining to approve AIS's data-roaming request.

TOT reasoned it needed the NTC to consider first whether the state agency could even grant the request before making any decision.

AIS chief executive Wichian Mektrakarn said AIS and TOT had agreed it would be best for all concerned if the two sides supported each other and that they would soon discuss a data-roaming deal, including when roaming could begin.

In the initial phase, AIS intends to roam 50,000 subscribers on TOT's 3G network.

TOT and AIS reached an agreement many years ago to allow TOT's 3G subscribers to roam on AIS's network for voice services, since the state agency's 3G network was still a conventional cellular one.

AIS said there had been a verbal agreement that in return, TOT would allow AIS to roam on its 3G network.

-- The Nation 2010-02-06

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