Tot, Cat Push Ahead With 3G Launch Plans

[ThaiLife]

State owned TOT Corporation has announced that 13 major provinces will have 3G coverage within three months now that it has signed a ten-year loan with its banks.

TOT has signed a 14,707.39 million Baht loan with Bank of Ayudhya and UOB Banks, to be repaid over a period of ten years. It also announced a target of 1.3 million subscribers by the end of the year. By 2015 it hopes to have 7 million or 8 percent of the market.

Elsewhere, fellow state-enterprise CAT has approved a five percent pay hike for its 4,000 employees at a cost of six million Baht a month.

CAT also announced that it was pressing ahead with its own 3G project (with True).

CAT would be meeting with the NTC next week to sort out import licences for its HSPA equipment. CAT expects to be able to launch in 10 major provinces in Q3 this year.

Dtac CEO Jon Eddy Abdullah also met with CAT CEO Jirayut Rungsrithong. Jirayut was reported to say after the meeting that CAT has authorised Dtac to go ahead with 3G two years ago, but that just to make sure, they had asked the Office of the Attorney General again three weeks ago and are awaiting a reply.

More here by Don Sambandaraksa

More Here ......

[lomatopo]

Wow, what a turn-around. Just a few months ago it looked like the NTBC would hold up 3G for another two years, while they extracted their "commissions". I guess the service provider strategy is run them over.

Here is an interesting summary, albeit a few months old... http://asiancorrespondent.com/47346/3g-finally-coming-to-thailand-overview-of-latest-developments/

It looks like even DTAC might even get sprung free?

The CAT/True/RealMove consortium's next hurdle is equipment export licenses. Not sure about the TOT/Samart/Loxley's equipment import license issues?

[dave_boo]

I want a list of actual provinces. Would also like to know why HSPA is being considered by CAT as it's already old tech and LTE or WIMAX is the wave of the future.

Also interesting that a 5% pay increase for the 4000 employees equaling 6 000 000 THB means that the average salary is 30 000THB/mo for their employees...

[dave111223]

By 2015 it hopes to have 7 million or 8 percent of the market.

What "market" is this that 7 million people is only 8% (do they consider every man/women/child/baby in Thailand be "in the Market for 3G" or something)?

[lomatopo]

I think the provinces would be the most populous, and perhaps most dense. That should be pretty easy to figure out?

LTE has a 'natural' and easy platform migration path from 3G, so as LTE handsets proliferate, and the market grows, and the requirement for more bandwidth increases you migrate to LTE. Makes sense to me? WiMAX is a non-stater.

Sometimes these articles are sometimes misunderstood or mistranslated; the pay hike might be spread over multiple years?

The market size vs. addressable market is obviously open for debate but I suspect they are using the total subscriber base figure forecast for 2015, which will be 87.5 million (7M/.08). The current (as of 31 March 2011) mobile subscriber base here is 59,196,300 (AIS, DTAC and True only, so figure 60 million with the likes of Hutch, TOT), so 87.5 million in 2015 seems reasonable. Obviously you understand people have more than one phone? And need more than one SIM? (I have three, and two are 3G.)

31,951,300 AIS

22,345,000 DTAC

4,900,000 TRUE

59,196,300 Total

[ThaiLife]

I think the provinces would be the most populous, and perhaps most dense. That should be pretty easy to figure out?

LTE has a 'natural' and easy platform migration path from 3G, so as LTE handsets proliferate, and the market grows, and the requirement for more bandwidth increases you migrate to LTE. Makes sense to me? WiMAX is a non-stater.

Sometimes these articles are sometimes misunderstood or mistranslated; the pay hike might be spread over multiple years?

The market size vs. addressable market is obviously open for debate but I suspect they are using the total subscriber base figure forecast for 2015, which will be 87.5 million (7M/.08). The current (as of 31 March 2011) mobile subscriber base here is 59,196,300 (AIS, DTAC and True only, so figure 60 million with the likes of Hutch, TOT), so 87.5 million in 2015 seems reasonable. Obviously you understand people have more than one phone? And need more than one SIM? (I have three, and two are 3G.)

31,951,300 AIS

22,345,000 DTAC

4,900,000 TRUE

59,196,300 Total

13 major provinces

Bangkok and its four surrounding provinces plus Chonburi, Rayong, Songkhla, Suratthani, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Pitsanulok, Udonthani, Nakornratchasima (Korat), Khon Kaen and Nongkai.

13 provinces ........

[dave_boo]

I think the provinces would be the most populous, and perhaps most dense. That should be pretty easy to figure out?

LTE has a 'natural' and easy platform migration path from 3G, so as LTE handsets proliferate, and the market grows, and the requirement for more bandwidth increases you migrate to LTE. Makes sense to me? WiMAX is a non-stater.

Sometimes these articles are sometimes misunderstood or mistranslated; the pay hike might be spread over multiple years?

The market size vs. addressable market is obviously open for debate but I suspect they are using the total subscriber base figure forecast for 2015, which will be 87.5 million (7M/.08). The current (as of 31 March 2011) mobile subscriber base here is 59,196,300 (AIS, DTAC and True only, so figure 60 million with the likes of Hutch, TOT), so 87.5 million in 2015 seems reasonable. Obviously you understand people have more than one phone? And need more than one SIM? (I have three, and two are 3G.)

31,951,300 AIS

22,345,000 DTAC

4,900,000 TRUE

59,196,300 Total

I was just hoping, naievely, that the rollout would include Nakhon Sawan Province.

If the Thai Telecoms utilise the same 'upgrade' path that the American ones did the consumer is screwed. While there are fancy new techs rolled out, in select markets, there are a lot of people without access to that tech.

Don't think I misunderstood the article; it says 6 000 000 THB/mo...

I think the provinces would be the most populous, and perhaps most dense. That should be pretty easy to figure out?

LTE has a 'natural' and easy platform migration path from 3G, so as LTE handsets proliferate, and the market grows, and the requirement for more bandwidth increases you migrate to LTE. Makes sense to me? WiMAX is a non-stater.

Sometimes these articles are sometimes misunderstood or mistranslated; the pay hike might be spread over multiple years?

The market size vs. addressable market is obviously open for debate but I suspect they are using the total subscriber base figure forecast for 2015, which will be 87.5 million (7M/.08). The current (as of 31 March 2011) mobile subscriber base here is 59,196,300 (AIS, DTAC and True only, so figure 60 million with the likes of Hutch, TOT), so 87.5 million in 2015 seems reasonable. Obviously you understand people have more than one phone? And need more than one SIM? (I have three, and two are 3G.)

31,951,300 AIS

22,345,000 DTAC

4,900,000 TRUE

59,196,300 Total

13 major provinces

Bangkok and its four surrounding provinces plus Chonburi, Rayong, Songkhla, Suratthani, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Pitsanulok, Udonthani, Nakornratchasima (Korat), Khon Kaen and Nongkai.

13 provinces ........

Thank you.

[nikster]

Wow, what a turn-around. Just a few months ago it looked like the NTBC would hold up 3G for another two years, while they extracted their "commissions". I guess the service provider strategy is run them over.

Not really, it's more like a land grab by TOT and CAT. CAT prevented the last 3G auction, remember? To protect the good people of Thailand from "potentially illegal" 3G networks! With the best interest of the Thai people in mind.

I guess TOT and CAT have stalled 3G as long as they could, and have now decided that they will make up for the "lost" revenue in "concessions" (= money for nothing) by running all 3G networks in Thailand and leasing and / or renting them to the mobile operators.

True has cut a deal with CAT under which I am sure they'll have to pay concessions to CAT for essentially nothing. Again. Correct me if I am wrong. Maybe DTAC and AIS will make a deal with TOT?!

[lomatopo]

The mad dash is on before July 3. RealMove ( a True subsidiary ) linked with CAT on 850, and various banks. TOT sort of auctioned 2100 to Loxley, Sammart, and some equipment providers. DTAC is free to deploy. AIS is sh*t out of luck. This will/may all change on July 4.

[Crushdepth]

My head just hurts thinking about this. Why can't we have a conversation like this:

Minister: You, flunky, wake up.

Flunky: Dai krap. Sir. Krap. Yawn [salutes and clicks heels while slumped in chair].

Minister: You sure it's ok?

Flunky: Mai bpen rai.

Minister: Get someone to set up that dam_n spectrum licensing body that Parliament finally authorised after seven years of doing nothing.

Flunky: Ohhhkayyy.

Minister: You sure now?

Flunky: Mai mee panh ha.

Minister: Ok, how long do you need?

Flunky: 2018 krap.

Minister: Excellent! Issue a press release about how we are accelerating 3G will you?

Flunky: Mai mee 3G. Everyone knows that.

Minister: Smashes glass, disregarding [?] "In case of zombies" sign, rips shotgun off wall and...

Continue your own fantasy here.

[wpcoe]

So, I'm not the only one whose head spins and eyes glaze over when the discussion turns to 3G in Thailand?

Nobody offers 3G in Thailand. Except True in Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Hua Hin and Phuket. And, TOT in Bangkok. Except True doesn't really have 3G, it's a test. Now "CAT also announced that it was pressing ahead with its own 3G project (with True)," even though True doesn't really have 3G rights in Thailand? A year ago CAT asked to have True's 3G rights terminated for some violation, and now CAT wants to team up with True for their 3G?

And, on and on and ...

[Jiu-Jitsu]

So, I'm not the only one whose head spins and eyes glaze over when the discussion turns to 3G in Thailand?

Nobody offers 3G in Thailand. Except True in Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Hua Hin and Phuket. And, TOT in Bangkok. Except True doesn't really have 3G, it's a test. Now "CAT also announced that it was pressing ahead with its own 3G project (with True)," even though True doesn't really have 3G rights in Thailand? A year ago CAT asked to have True's 3G rights terminated for some violation, and now CAT wants to team up with True for their 3G?

And, on and on and ...

You forgot to mention AIS 3G, but that's probably because your head is spinning and your eyes are glazed. . Nobody = AIS 3G + TRUE 3G + TOT 3G ?? Perhaps you mean that the other two don't offer it commercially. They are not allow to 'sell' it, so they sell you a package of other products but give you the 3G component for 'free'.

[wpcoe]

My "Nobody offers 3G in Thailand" comment was the all-too-common response from various posters when somebody asks about 3G in Thailand. *I* know it's here, but...

And, that last bit about "They are not allow to 'sell' it, so they sell you a package of other products but give you the 3G component for 'free'" was a crucial bit of info that I was lacking. It does make a bit of sense and helps explain the way things are set up here.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

My "Nobody offers 3G in Thailand" comment was the all-too-common response from various posters when somebody asks about 3G in Thailand. *I* know it's here, but...

And, that last bit about "They are not allow to 'sell' it, so they sell you a package of other products but give you the 3G component for 'free'" was a crucial bit of info that I was lacking. It does make a bit of sense and helps explain the way things are set up here.

I assumed that your post was tongue-in-cheek, but was slightly concerned that someone would take your post literally.

At least coverage is expanding, even if it still appears a bit of a mish-mash.