Soft Launch Today Of CAT's 3G Service

[webfact]

Soft launch today of CAT's 3G service

By Usanee Mongkolporn

The Nation

CAT Telecom will soft-launch its commercial 3G service today and use the My brand. Now CAT has 1,000 subscribers to its third-generation wireless broadband service, who are its employees.

It will migrate the 400,000 subscribers of its existing cellular service to 3G over two years.

The move follows its deals signed with True Corp subsidiaries Real Move and Real Future in January to develop the 3G service nationwide.

CAT will wholesale and resell the 3G service. Real Move has leased 3G capacity from CAT to resell the service.

Real Move yesterday formally kicked off its 3G service under the TrueMove H brand with three service packages.

Real Move has gradually switched about 800,000 subscribers of the Hutchison-CAT Wireless Multimedia's CDMA (code division multiple access) cellular service to its 3G |service, starting with heavy data users.

Under CAT's 3G network plan, 671 base stations were to be set up by last month, with the capacity to serve 700,000 |customers and cover 13 per |cent of the population.

Next month, it plans to increase the base stations to 2,763 to serve up to 2.5 million customers and 29 per cent of the population.

By December it will have 5,326 stations capable of serving 5 million customers and reaching 70 per cent of the population.

-- The Nation 2011-07-20

[janverbeem]

By December it will have 5,326 stations capable of serving 5 million customers and reaching 70 per cent of the population.<BR sab="368">

Is it just me or are they throwing magic numbers around again.

[woodyleonhard]

Okay. I'm confused. Again.

CAT has a deal with True subsidiaries that basically sweeps all of Hutch's assets in Bangkok into True. Details have been contested in court, but it looks like the transfer's going ahead. Fair enough.

The story says, to a first approximation, "True has gradually switched about 800,000 subscribers of the Hutch CDMA service to its 3G service."

They must mean "True is going to gradually switch about 800,000 Hutch CDMA customers to True 3G."

I have no idea how the "My brand" enters into the picture. It also isn't clear if this is at 850 MHz, 900 MHz, or 2.1 GHz - all of which are spectra claimed by CAT, in different geographical locations. And that's a key question.

If my interpretation is correct, this is saying that 1,000 CAT employees are currently testing the True 3G system in BKK. True is going to start migrating Hutch CDMA/EV-DO customers over to True 3G, and hope to get 400,000 subscribers switched in two years (starting with the heaviest users). Ultimately, True will migrate all 800,000 existing Hutch customers.

If all of that is correct, it has big implications for people in Phuket. Specifically, it means that CAT is more-or-less confirming that it won't be pushing its CDMA/EV-DO "Air Card" services any more. Moreover, it implies that existing CAT CDMA customers will be switched to True 3G - at True's expense. Good news, if it works out that way.

Does anybody know the real story?

[thaicbr]

"Does anybody know the real story?"

I doubt that True or Cat even know the whole story

[g00dgirl]

Next time I go to Central in Phuket I will take my CDMA Aircard to CAT and tell them I want to cancel my CDMA service as AIS is launching 3G in my area next week. See what they say, if they offer me anything ...

... if not I will ask them about it, maybe they tell me yes you can switch your CDMA monthly contract to CAT 3G, then I will find out what hardware is needed (what frequency) and if they will switch my aircard and give me any free hardware in exchange and what their data plans are exactly. If they don't give me free hardware I will tell them I already have an AIS SIM card and aircard so why should I stay with CAT if I need to buy any new hardware. Their data plans would need to be a lot cheaper or offer true unlimited usage for it to be worth it for me.

Also the AIS prepaid SIM card is more convenient for me because I can add credit via online banking, even while I am overseas. My CAT bills arrive in Phuket and if I am overseas it's complicated to pay them.

Another thing, AIS prepaid is anonymous, you don't have to register your details to active a prepaid SIM, so you have anonymous 3G Internet, interesting for those who value privacy.

Edited July 20, 2011 by g00dgirl

[Disinto]

Okay. I'm confused. Again.

CAT has a deal with True subsidiaries that basically sweeps all of Hutch's assets in Bangkok into True. Details have been contested in court, but it looks like the transfer's going ahead. Fair enough.

The story says, to a first approximation, "True has gradually switched about 800,000 subscribers of the Hutch CDMA service to its 3G service."

They must mean "True is going to gradually switch about 800,000 Hutch CDMA customers to True 3G."

I have no idea how the "My brand" enters into the picture. It also isn't clear if this is at 850 MHz, 900 MHz, or 2.1 GHz - all of which are spectra claimed by CAT, in different geographical locations. And that's a key question.

If my interpretation is correct, this is saying that 1,000 CAT employees are currently testing the True 3G system in BKK. True is going to start migrating Hutch CDMA/EV-DO customers over to True 3G, and hope to get 400,000 subscribers switched in two years (starting with the heaviest users). Ultimately, True will migrate all 800,000 existing Hutch customers.

If all of that is correct, it has big implications for people in Phuket. Specifically, it means that CAT is more-or-less confirming that it won't be pushing its CDMA/EV-DO "Air Card" services any more. Moreover, it implies that existing CAT CDMA customers will be switched to True 3G - at True's expense. Good news, if it works out that way.

Does anybody know the real story?

The goal is to discontinue Hutch's CDMA network to reuse its 850 MHz for W-CDMA/HSPA network that will be installed by BFKT, wholesaled to CAT which will in turn lease it to RealMove in order to run TrueMove H commercial operation.

There will theorically exist TrueMoveH and CAT commercial offers both leveraging BFKT's UTRAN. Two things are therefore happening:

* CAT migrating Hutch & CAT CDMA users to HSPA (but it requires new terminal)

* True migrating TrueMove 3G commercial trial users to TrueMoveH network (with a different fare structure, I believe).

Hope this helps!

Edited July 20, 2011 by Disinto

[Disinto]

The real question remains though: why BFKT imported 3G equipments and commissioned the network despite not being allowed by the NTC to do so (at least, until recently when CAT and the NTC reached an agreement)?

Under the NTC/NBTC law, the importer should suffer from an import ban.

[muratremix]

We need additional details. Can we start using Cat 3G in bangkok? What would be the prices? Should we expect better 3G performance than TOT 3G? What about True Move 3G? Will it roam trough Cat 3G and so on?

[woodyleonhard]

The goal is to discontinue Hutch's CDMA network to reuse its 850 MHz for W-CDMA/HSPA network that will be installed by BFKT, wholesaled to CAT which will in turn lease it to RealMove in order to run TrueMove H commercial operation.

There will theorically exist TrueMoveH and CAT commercial offers both leveraging BFKT's UTRAN. Two things are therefore happening:

* CAT migrating Hutch & CAT CDMA users to HSPA (but it requires new terminal)

* True migrating TrueMove 3G commercial trial users to TrueMoveH network (with a different fare structure, I believe).

Hope this helps!

That helps a great deal. Thanks.

It also makes a lot of sense. I hope CAT switches CDMA/EV-DO customers outside the 25 Hutch provinces in the same way. Soon. People in Phuket are concerned about their CAT cards - whether they'll be stuck with useless cards/dongles - and looking at the new AIS/TOT HSPA service as a much faster alternative.

CAT has one big built-in advantage over AIS/TOT: they're running at 850 MHz, as opposed to AIS's 900 MHz. What that means for most people is that the original iPad 1 will run 3G on the new TrueMoveH service, but it won't run 3G on the AIS service.

I assume CAT will be offering free HSPA dongles to replace the old CDMA/EV-DO cards and dongles?

Of course, the big over-riding concern for both HSPA services is whether CAT or TOT will supply enough international bandwidth to keep the services running well. Here in Phuket we'll be watching international download speeds closely.

Now I have to figure out how to explain this to people in a way that's easy to understand.... :jap:

Edited July 20, 2011 by woodyleonhard

[woodyleonhard]

The real question remains though: why BFKT imported 3G equipments and commissioned the network despite not being allowed by the NTC to do so (at least, until recently when CAT and the NTC reached an agreement)?

Under the NTC/NBTC law, the importer should suffer from an import ban.

Very good point, although my question is how did BKFT get the equipment in.

AIS is doing something similar in Phuket, installing HSPA equipment on existing TOT towers. I have no idea how they got the equipment in, but it's here and running - right now.

However they did it, I say more power to them. The 3G wars are finally heating up, and customers are going to be the big beneficiaries.

[woodyleonhard]

Next time I go to Central in Phuket I will take my CDMA Aircard to CAT and tell them I want to cancel my CDMA service as AIS is launching 3G in my area next week. See what they say, if they offer me anything ...

Another thing, AIS prepaid is anonymous, you don't have to register your details to active a prepaid SIM, so you have anonymous 3G Internet, interesting for those who value privacy.

You're too early to get CAT 3G in Phuket. Wait a month or two, and I'll try to twist their arms to give it first to Computer Clinic folks.

As for privacy and pre-paid - that's a VERY good point.

[Always18]

Does anyone know how this change will affect those of us using the CAT MiFi unit to receive CDMA ?

I live up near Sisaket and have had a post-paid account with them for the last 15mths having had to initially purchase the MiFi unit for 8,000 Baht.

It's very useful when you have several wifi enabled devices which you want to access the internet simultaneously, but I'd be pretty upset to find that it will shortly be obselete............................

Anyone help?

Thanks.

[Barin]

Real Move has gradually switched about 800,000 subscribers of the Hutchison-CAT Wireless Multimedia's CDMA (code division multiple access) cellular service to its 3G |service, starting with heavy data users.

Again and again they are repeating this BS... Shame on them.

More details HERE.

[woodyleonhard]

Does anyone know how this change will affect those of us using the CAT MiFi unit to receive CDMA ?

I don't know, but you might want to check your MiFi unit. If it will work with HSPA at 850 MHz, and it takes a dongle (not a PCMCIA card), you should be OK, if True swaps out the old dongles for new ones.

If it won't work with HSPA at 850 MHz, you'll have to, uh, convince True that they're morally obligated to upgrade your MiFi unit as well as your dongle. My guess is that they probably will, but it may take a long time. That's only a guess, of course.

More details HERE.

This gets a little hairy cross-posting, but.... let me respond to your other post.

Your analysis of CAT dropping the Hutch CDMA network and True picking up the infrastructure with HSPA at 850 MHz looks correct to me. True can't get a 2.1 GHz license - nobody can get a 2.1 GHz license - until the govt auctions off the spectrum. Heaven only knows when that'll happen.

HSPA at 850 MHz is unusual, but not unheard of. iPads and iPhones will run HSPA at 850 MHz, as will almost all Android phones and tablets. (The weird one is HSPA at 900 MHz, which AIS is using in Phuket, as I described above.)

As far as I've seen, 850 MHz HSPA consumer equipment isn't considerably more expensive than 2.1 GHz HSPA equipment. I have no idea what the tower equipment costs.

Keep in mind that HSPA actually works better at 850 MHz or 900 MHz, than at 2.1 GHz. Hard to believe, but the lower frequency gives consumers better range and wider coverage than the higher frequency.

As I understand it, the second CAT CDMA network you mention (the one that isn't Hutch) is the Rev A network we use in Phuket, and in all of the "non-Hutch" provinces in Thailand, per your linked map. I'm hoping that CAT will migrate those customers over to True HSPA, but they might not - specifically for the reason you mention, that LTE and LTE Plus are definitely on the horizon. (Actually, LTE technology is readily available, but we seem to be living in a technological time warp.)

The speed tests you ran and posted measure download and upload to Bangkok, and the test is subject to caching. I ran a couple of articles on the topic in the Phuket Gazette. Most of the people I know out here are much more interested in international download speeds.

If you look at phuketinternetspeed.com, and search for CAT EV-DO speeds, you'll see that they fluctuate between sorta slow and downright sluggish. That's because CAT hasn't spent enough money on data pipes out of Thailand, for its EV-DO service. But don't take my word for it. Look at the speeds people are posting, all over Phuket.

The statement "the current CAT CDMA network with its EVDO "Revision A" data service in many remote areas of Thailand can outperform a GSM HSDPA network" may be true in a theoretical sense, but when it comes to international download speeds, there are many, many other factors involved. Not the least of which is the willingness of the ISP to spend money on international bandwidth.

And "no GSM HSDPA network will offer 100% true unlimited high speed Internet for just 800.- Baht per month!" - I'm not sure if it can be done or not. Certainly, total downloads will be capped at 3 GB or 5 GB per month, and you can bet the HSPA ISPs will be watching and throttling torrents. But that's true everywhere in the world these days.

And I have no idea how you come to the conclusion, "low unlimited rates are only possible in CDMA networks, not in GSM networks!"

[Disinto]

BTW, 850 MHz is the odd ball in W-CDMA here, not the 900 MHz. 900 MHz will become very, very important in the near future with the 900 GSM band refarming. Many handsets offer bi band HSPA 900/2100 but not 850/2100 (and no, by far, not all Android phones). End user equipments in W-CDMA 850 MHz are usually much more expensive than 2100 MHz (we're talking about dumbphones here) due to the limited volume.

You're right for the propagation characteristics of 900/850 vs. 2100 but it's always good to mix these frequencies: low frequencies for coverage, high frequencies for capacity. That's why I can foresee the strength of the TOT/AIS agreement (900 MHz for coverage, 2100 MHz for capacity).

Edited July 20, 2011 by Disinto

[Disinto]

The goal is to discontinue Hutch's CDMA network to reuse its 850 MHz for W-CDMA/HSPA network that will be installed by BFKT, wholesaled to CAT which will in turn lease it to RealMove in order to run TrueMove H commercial operation.

There will theorically exist TrueMoveH and CAT commercial offers both leveraging BFKT's UTRAN. Two things are therefore happening:

* CAT migrating Hutch & CAT CDMA users to HSPA (but it requires new terminal)

* True migrating TrueMove 3G commercial trial users to TrueMoveH network (with a different fare structure, I believe).

Hope this helps!

That helps a great deal. Thanks.

It also makes a lot of sense. I hope CAT switches CDMA/EV-DO customers outside the 25 Hutch provinces in the same way. Soon. People in Phuket are concerned about their CAT cards - whether they'll be stuck with useless cards/dongles - and looking at the new AIS/TOT HSPA service as a much faster alternative.

CAT has one big built-in advantage over AIS/TOT: they're running at 850 MHz, as opposed to AIS's 900 MHz. What that means for most people is that the original iPad 1 will run 3G on the new TrueMoveH service, but it won't run 3G on the AIS service.

I assume CAT will be offering free HSPA dongles to replace the old CDMA/EV-DO cards and dongles?

Of course, the big over-riding concern for both HSPA services is whether CAT or TOT will supply enough international bandwidth to keep the services running well. Here in Phuket we'll be watching international download speeds closely.

Now I have to figure out how to explain this to people in a way that's easy to understand.... :jap:

I'm not quite aware of the commercial strategy CAT will use, but definitely, they'll be some end user equipment incentives for that.

BTW, don't get too focused on iDevices. There are more devices supporting HSPA at 900 & 2100 than ones supporting HSPA 850 & 2100. In that second case, it'd be 850 & 1900 like what AT&T do.

The real question remains though: why BFKT imported 3G equipments and commissioned the network despite not being allowed by the NTC to do so (at least, until recently when CAT and the NTC reached an agreement)?

Under the NTC/NBTC law, the importer should suffer from an import ban.

Very good point, although my question is how did BKFT get the equipment in.

AIS is doing something similar in Phuket, installing HSPA equipment on existing TOT towers. I have no idea how they got the equipment in, but it's here and running - right now.

However they did it, I say more power to them. The 3G wars are finally heating up, and customers are going to be the big beneficiaries.

Yes, it's more or less the same story. Let's see...

[Always18]

Does anyone know how this change will affect those of us using the CAT MiFi unit to receive CDMA ?

I don't know, but you might want to check your MiFi unit. If it will work with HSPA at 850 MHz, and it takes a dongle (not a PCMCIA card), you should be OK, if True swaps out the old dongles for new ones.

If it won't work with HSPA at 850 MHz, you'll have to, uh, convince True that they're morally obligated to upgrade your MiFi unit as well as your dongle. My guess is that they probably will, but it may take a long time. That's only a guess, of course.

More details HERE.

Hi - thanks for the reply, but I'm still a bit confused as the CAT Mifi 2200 device takes neither dongle nor PCMCIA card.

It's a self-powered (rechargeable battery) mobile wifi hotspot unit, made by Novatel, which communicates wirelessly with both the CAT CDMA towers and, securely, up to 5 wifi enabled devices, simultaneously, within a 10M radius.

Does this help at all? - I'm not sure how I could check whether this would work using the 850MHz HSPA service.........................?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[iks77]

BTW, 850 MHz is the odd ball in W-CDMA here, not the 900 MHz. 900 MHz will become very, very important in the near future with the 900 GSM band refarming. Many handsets offer bi band HSPA 900/2100 but not 850/2100 (and no, by far, not all Android phones). End user equipments in W-CDMA 850 MHz are usually much more expensive than 2100 MHz (we're talking about dumbphones here) due to the limited volume.

You're right for the propagation characteristics of 900/850 vs. 2100 but it's always good to mix these frequencies: low frequencies for coverage, high frequencies for capacity. That's why I can foresee the strength of the TOT/AIS agreement (900 MHz for coverage, 2100 MHz for capacity).

Did i read that right that in the near future TOT sim will roam on AIS? That would be great as i really love to use the TOT 3G in Bangkok. Very good speed for very low price....

[Disinto]

BTW, 850 MHz is the odd ball in W-CDMA here, not the 900 MHz. 900 MHz will become very, very important in the near future with the 900 GSM band refarming. Many handsets offer bi band HSPA 900/2100 but not 850/2100 (and no, by far, not all Android phones). End user equipments in W-CDMA 850 MHz are usually much more expensive than 2100 MHz (we're talking about dumbphones here) due to the limited volume.

You're right for the propagation characteristics of 900/850 vs. 2100 but it's always good to mix these frequencies: low frequencies for coverage, high frequencies for capacity. That's why I can foresee the strength of the TOT/AIS agreement (900 MHz for coverage, 2100 MHz for capacity).

Did i read that right that in the near future TOT sim will roam on AIS? That would be great as i really love to use the TOT 3G in Bangkok. Very good speed for very low price....

The agreement is still yet to be finalized but that's the trend yes. But as usual, Thai telecom scene is quite fluid - I expect the deals to be refined or eventually scrapped if both parties cannot reach an agreement. See: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/07/08/business/TOT-AIS-strike-roaming-deal-30159804.html

ANd by the way: http://www.bangkokpo...r-to-use-tot-3g

Edited July 20, 2011 by Disinto

[Payboy]

capable of serving 5 million customers and reaching 70 per cent of the population

Have the rest lost their Thai nationality for voting NO?

[hardy1943]

"Does anybody know the real story?"

I doubt that True or Cat even know the whole story

My CAT CDMA been telling me I been having 3G service for the last 2 years.........lucky to get 1/4 of that one a good day.........4-6 PM it goes down to snail pace.......I believe it when I see it

[hotpotato]

Okay. I'm confused. Again.

CAT has a deal with True subsidiaries that basically sweeps all of Hutch's assets in Bangkok into True. Details have been contested in court, but it looks like the transfer's going ahead. Fair enough.

The story says, to a first approximation, "True has gradually switched about 800,000 subscribers of the Hutch CDMA service to its 3G service."

They must mean "True is going to gradually switch about 800,000 Hutch CDMA customers to True 3G."

I have no idea how the "My brand" enters into the picture. It also isn't clear if this is at 850 MHz, 900 MHz, or 2.1 GHz - all of which are spectra claimed by CAT, in different geographical locations. And that's a key question.

If my interpretation is correct, this is saying that 1,000 CAT employees are currently testing the True 3G system in BKK. True is going to start migrating Hutch CDMA/EV-DO customers over to True 3G, and hope to get 400,000 subscribers switched in two years (starting with the heaviest users). Ultimately, True will migrate all 800,000 existing Hutch customers.

If all of that is correct, it has big implications for people in Phuket. Specifically, it means that CAT is more-or-less confirming that it won't be pushing its CDMA/EV-DO "Air Card" services any more. Moreover, it implies that existing CAT CDMA customers will be switched to True 3G - at True's expense. Good news, if it works out that way.

Does anybody know the real story?

[hotpotato]

Okay. I'm confused. Again.

Me, too, what is 3G?

[Disinto]

Please re read what I wrote above, BFKT builds the 3G HSPA network, CAT rents it and keep 20% of its capacity for itself while giving the remaining 80% to True's RealMove which will in turn run the commercial brand TrueMove H on it.

CAT will shutdown its CDMA to free up the 850 MHz spectrum and migrate the users to CAT's 3G HSPA network.

True will shutdown Hutch's CDMA network and migrate the users to TrueMove H

True will migrate the current TrueMove 3G (commercial trial) users to TrueMove H.

[Barin]

Hi - thanks for the reply, but I'm still a bit confused as the CAT Mifi 2200 device takes neither dongle nor PCMCIA card.

It's a self-powered (rechargeable battery) mobile wifi hotspot unit, made by Novatel, which communicates wirelessly with both the CAT CDMA towers and, securely, up to 5 wifi enabled devices, simultaneously, within a 10M radius.

Does this help at all? - I'm not sure how I could check whether this would work using the 850MHz HSPA service.........................?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

I don't know this Mifi 2200 device. Probable there is a built-in CDMA EVDO modem inside and no HSDPA modem.

In this case this device can not be used with neither the new AIS nor TRUE nor TOT 3G service unfortunately.

[Barin]

Okay. I'm confused. Again.

Me, too, what is 3G?

Many people are confused what kind of cellular data service may be classified as 3G (Third Generation).

The definition is found HERE.

3G, or Third Generation, is a somewhat generic term for network technologies that the ITU classifies as part of their IMT-2000 specification. Generally, wireless network technologies must be able to provide a mobile device with a downlink connection speed of 384kbps in order to be considered a 3G technology. The most used 3G technologies are WCDMA, CDMA 1xEV-DO, and, technically, EDGE and CDMA 1xRTT.

Also known as: "third generation"

As we can see the definition frames of 3G are quite wide.

If someone says "3G" theoretically it may be anything from CDMA2000 1x EVDO "Revision A" to HSDPA / HSPA.

Undoubtedly CDMA2000 1x EVDO "Revision 0" with its 2.4 Mbps download speed may be considered 3G.

CAT CDMA launched this service 5 years ago with 70% coverage of Thailand, at that time nobody was shouting that this was the first 3G network in Thailand.

[Barin]

CAT Telecom will soft-launch its commercial 3G service today and use the My brand. Now CAT has 1,000 subscribers to its third-generation wireless broadband service, who are its employees.

It will migrate the 400,000 subscribers of its existing cellular service to 3G over two years.

Yes, I believe it will take at least 2 years.

Until 2013 the availability of GSM 3G service in Thailand will be very limited (only in major cities like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chonburi, Pattaya, Huahin, Phuket).

But in these cities it has been available for 2 or 3 years already anyway. I was using TRUE MOVE 3G (850 MHz) and TOT 3G (2,100 MHz) in Bangkok already 2 years ago. TOT was working much faster because at that time the just-launched network had very few subscribers, and no unlimited package.

On the other hand TRUE MOVE was offering free unlimited 3G access, and many users were abusing it (downloading movies every day). So the resulting speed in TRUE MOVE 3G network was not over 3.0 Mbps.

At that time during my speed tests I made a few screenshots. Please see below.

TOT 3G network in Bangkok (the frequency of 2,100 MHz).

Date: 5 January, 2010.

TRUE MOVE 3G network in Bangkok (the frequency of 850 MHz).

Date: 4 January, 2010.

[Barin]

Posted 2010-02-12 08:01:32

CAT expects surge in CDMA subscribers

BANGKOK: -- CAT Telecom projects that the number of subscribers to its Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 2000 1-x cellular service network in 51 provinces will almost double to 700,000 this year from the current 360,000.

CAT targets CDMA revenue of Bt1.8 billion, up from Bt1.165 billion last year.

Dhanant Subhadrabandhu, vice president, wireless product development department, yesterday said CAT plans to invest about Bt3.8 billion in establishing an additional 500 base stations for the CDMA network within two years. The budget is subject to Cabinet approval. The network has about 1,600 base stations, while another 300 are being installed in the state agency's current roll-out.

Hutchison-CAT Wireless Multimedia, a joint venture between CAT and Hong Kong telecom operator Hutchison Telecom, operates a separate CDMA network in another 25 provinces by leasing the network from Hutchison Telecom's wholly owned subsidiary BFKT.

CAT has proposed buying Hutchison Telecom's businesses in Thailand and BFKT's CDMA network as part of the plan to merge the two CDMA networks.

Meanwhile, CAT yesterday launched its Intelligent Mobile Hotspot gear, a mobile device that enables users to wirelessly access the Internet on their computers while on the go via its CDMA network in 51 provinces. The device targets corporate users in major provinces. The Novatel Wireless MiFi 2200 can serve five user terminals at the same time.

CAT expects to sell about 20,000 of the devices this year. They cost Bt8,900 apiece during the promotional period, which ends next month.

Users have to pay Bt990 per month for unlimited Internet access via the device.

Currently the total amount of funds already invested in CAT CDMA network is nearly 10 Billion Baht.

If TRUE or anybody else is willing to acquire CAT CDMA network the buyer needs to pay 7.5 Million Baht or more.

Otherwise the Hong Kong shareholders may not be willing to sell this network.

At present TRUE is not prepared to pay 7.5 Billion Baht in order to acquire CAT CDMA network.

Estimated additional investments of approximately 3 or 4 Billion Baht will be required in order to migrate CAT CDMA network to GSM HSDPA network.

In my humble opinion this is the next craziest plan after migrating Telstra CDMA network in Australia to GSM HSDPA network.

It is economically more feasible to build a brand new GSM HSDPA network than acquire the existing CDMA network and migrate it to GSM HSDPA network. HSDPA infrastructure eqipment is getting cheaper and cheaper every month.

The only problem is that TRUE doesn't have any frequency spectrum in their posession in order to be able to roll out HSDPA data service.

I understand that Hutch agreed to sell their old CDMA network to TRUE. Now TRUE can dump all the Hutch's CDMA infrastructure equipment, but they can not shut down the Hutch CDMA network immediately. The transition process will be slow and painful, as one of the posters said.

Edited July 20, 2011 by Barin

[Oberkommando]

Meanwhile, in Cambodia, the 4G network is already under construction and set to be unveiled soon.

[muratremix]

Meanwhile, in Cambodia, the 4G network is already under construction and set to be unveiled soon.

I am not sure how many people can afford new 4G handsets or Mifi devices in Cambodia!