3G Free For All

[NoBrainer]

What's up with 3G on the 2.1Gigahertz frequency?

Last year the NTC was going to auction off that frequency and raise Billions for the government. The auction was canceled at the last minute die to court challenges.

Now it looks like TOT in cahoots with AIS is just going to hijack the frequency? So the profits go to Singapore instead of Thailand?

MESSAGE TO NEXT GOVERNMENT Might be good idea, next time you write new laws, give somebody some authority to enforce them, as part of the Law/Regulation.

Contract granted, nationwide 3G to be in place mid-2012

By Usanee Mongkolporn<br style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; list-style-type: none; text-decoration: none; ">The Nation<br style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; list-style-type: none; text-decoration: none; ">Published on May 10, 2011<br class="clear-all" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; list-style-type: none; text-decoration: none; clear: both; line-height: 0; ">

TOT is expected to complete the launch of its nationwide third-generation broadband network in the middle of next year after full services come online in Greater Bangkok and 13 major provinces in the middle of the fourth quarter this year.

The state agency yesterday officially granted a Bt15.99-billion contract to the SL consortium of Loxley and Samart to procure equipment for its plan to roll out the network nationwide on the 2.1-gigahertz spectrum.

TOT senior executive vice president Kamthorn Vaitayakul said management had also determined the qualifications of possible partners to help provide the 3G service on an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) basis, which could be divided into strategic MVNOs and general MVNOs.

MVNOs are companies without their own network that have leased the network or airtime of telecom operators to provide service. A strategic MVNO is one that joins with TOT to determine marketing plans, while a general MVNO just buys 3G phone numbers in bulk from TOT for resale.

Kamthorn said the MVNO details were expected to be concluded next month and TOT might need two strategic MVNOs.

Advanced Info Service, which holds a TOT concession, has been in talks with the agency on a possible MVNO deal.

Three phases

The network installation will be in three phases. The first two phases will be finished in 180 days after the contract signing and will focus on densely populated areas in Greater Bangkok and 13 provinces - Chon Buri, Rayong, Songkhla, Surat Thani, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Phitsanulok, Udon Thani, Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, and Nong Khai. The third phase will be the network's nationwide expansion.

TOT president Anont Tubtiang said the project was meant to be TOT's new revenue source.

The SL consortium will provide to TOT one core network, 4,772 base stations, one network management system, one value-added service system, one business support system, and a maintenance system.

The Office of the Auditor-General has not yet investigated whether TOT conducted the bidder-qualification process for the 3G network on a fair basis, after a complaint by the Ericsson-led consortium at the Central Administrative Court that it was unfairly disqualified from the January's bid process.

TOT has continued to insist that it can clarify all doubts and that the qualification process was conducted transparently.

Last week the TOT board selected a consortium of Bank of Ayudhya and UOB to provide loans for the project. The consortium offered a low interest rate with a 10-year repayment schedule. Of the total project value, 85-90 per cent will be financed by loans.

TOT debuted the existing 3G network in Greater Bangkok in late 2009 and has recruited five companies to provide the service on that network on an MVNO basis. The network, totalling 548 base stations, has about 200,000 subscribers.

TOT targets 1.3 million 3G service subscribers this year before the number rises to 7 million by 2015. It expects revenue of Bt1.7 billion from the 3G service this year before rising to Bt3.482 billion next year.

[sbk]

Hi

This is already covered in News Clippings here:

Please post in that thread, thanks

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