CAT Speeding Up 3G Roll-Out In Thailand

[webfact]

CAT speeding up 3G roll-out

By SIRIVISH TOOMGUM

THE NATION

CAT Telecom plans to establish between 3,000 and 5,000 base stations for its 3G-HSPA (high-speed packet access) service this year, against the originally planned 4,500 stations within three years, in a bid to become the first nationwide provider of a third-generation wireless network.

Meanwhile, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) board yesterday instructed its office to study further the CAT-True Corp deals concerning 3G-HSPA service collaboration. This is part of the regulator's probe into whether the contracts were developed in compliance with its regulations.

CAT chief executive officer Jirayuth Rungsrithong yesterday said 500 3G-HSPA base stations would be up and running next month in Greater Bangkok, with the capacity to serve 700,000 subscribers, before being expanded to 2,000 stations covering 61 provinces in August, and to between 3,000 and 5,000 nationwide by year-end.

The completed network will be able to cater to between 3 million and 5 million subscribers.

CAT will submit the revised network roll-out plan for board consideration today.

CAT, which has positioned itself as a 3G-HSPA network wholesaler and reseller, yesterday also unveiled its 3G network brand, 3G+, which will use the 850-megahertz spectrum.

The wholesale network service will be officially launched next month with an initial data-transmission speed of 16 megabits per second, before rising to 21Mbps midyear.

It will allocate most of the network capacity for True Corp's subsidiary Real Move to resell the service. Real Move plans to launch the service next month under the TrueMove H brand.

CAT will also provide its own retail service on the remaining capacity mainly to tap the corporate segment.

Jirayuth said the state agency had yet to finalise its own retail brand, but it was targeting 1 million subscribers within three years.

He added that CAT expected to spend Bt1 billion on installing the core network and transmission network for 3G service this year.

CAT's plan to launch the HSPA service is part of the CAT-True deals signed in January, and about which doubts have been raised over their legitimacy.

The NTC board has instructed its office, which had already concluded a study of the contracts, to study them further by focusing on the ownership of the 850MHz spectrum to be used by CAT to wholesale the service.

Moreover, the office has been asked to focus on whether Article 46 of the new Frequency Allocation Law covers the wholesale and resale of the cellular service.

The article obliges licence holders to use their own spectra to provide the service on their own, instead of allowing other parties to do so on their behalf.

-- The Nation 2011-03-31

[Jimi007]

Just announce there is 3G when there really is.

CAT chief executive officer Jirayuth Rungsrithong yesterday said 500 3G-HSPA base stations would be up and running next month in Greater Bangkok, with the capacity to serve 700,000 subscribers, before being expanded to 2,000 stations covering 61 provinces in August, and to between 3,000 and 5,000 nationwide by year-end.

They already have 3G in Bangkok. 3 to 5 thousand by year end. We shall see!

[happyjune]

Oh another 3G announcement in Thailand, .

Has the same credibility as NEWSBREAK," Thailand building a Rocket to install 3G on the moon by Nov 2011".

[happyjune]

On another note, any subscriber here know how many True towers there are out there? What I am getting at, is TRUE going change over all their 2G into 3G this year. My understanding is that a company owned by TRUE us owning, maintaining and installing all these 3G gizmos, leasing 100% of the band width to CAT, which is keeping 20% for them selves and then leasing back the rest to TRUE at a 20% mark up profit.

It will change so many things having 3G coverage, even if on 850MgHz and not the "normal"2100MgHz, but, then again.

[asiawatcher]

So they are finally 'thinking' about going from the desk concept to a slow moving snail when the technology is already outdated. No point in being backward when coming forward. What a joke this all is. By the time it becomes operational we will be in 5G.

[Digitalbanana]

>The NTC board has instructed its office, which had already concluded a study of the contracts, to study them further by focusing on the ownership of the 850MHz spectrum to be used by CAT to wholesale the service. Moreover, the office has been asked to focus on whether Article 46 of the new Frequency Allocation Law covers the wholesale and resale of the cellular service.

Read: The NTC board is looking to get it's hand on the share of the multi-billion baht pie? Whilst CAT/True are trying to push ahead with the technology (albeit on a different frequency to it's Asian neighbors, which is going to be a pain for Asean travelers, at least they are looking forward unlike the NTC?

[happyjune]

I am no fan of TRUE, think TRUE VISION is a utter ripoff, but at least they have been trying for so long to spend money on infrastructural items. Just have their hands tied by strangled tea money requirements.