New 3G Options On Offer, But Full Service Still Not Ready

[webfact]

TELECOM

New 3G options on offer, but full service still not ready

By Usanee Mongkolporn

The Nation

CAT's My brand service will be officially launched on August 28

Some new 3G choices have come available, but Thais will have to wait for further expansion until the long-delayed granting of licences by the forthcoming national broadcasting and telecom watchdog for state-of-the-art wireless broadband service.

Yesterday CAT Telecom soft-launched its My brand third-generation service, which uses high-speed packet access (HSPA) technology on the 800-megahertz spectrum. It will officially launch the service on August 28.

The state agency claims that the service offers broadband connection speed of 21 megabits per second, which can be developed to a maximum 42Mbps.

It targets 100,000 subscribers by the end of this year. This does not include the 400,000 subscribers of its lower-tech code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular service in 51 provinces, whom it will gradually migrate to the new service.

Under CAT's 3G network plan, 671 base stations were set up 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.

Real move kicks off H brand

Real Move on Monday launched its TrueMove H brand. Its service currently covers the Bangkok metropolitan area, Hua Hin, Phuket and Chon Buri.

CAT has wholesaled its 3G capacity to Real Move to resell the service. It has leased 3G equipment from BFKT (Thailand), another True Corp's subsidiary, to wholesale 3G capacity.

CAT will both wholesale and retail the service - the latter will focus on the corporate market.

TOT, which is setting up a nationwide 3G network using the 2.1-gigahertz spectrum, has yet to grant deals to companies to provide service as mobile virtual network operators, pending the revision of its plan to lease 3G capacity to potential MVNOs as ordered by its board.

MVNOs are companies without their own networks who lease the networks of telecom operators to provide service.

TOT has provided the 3G service through five MVNO partners on its existing network in Greater Bangkok.

Total Access Communication (DTAC) is still waiting for CAT's permission to launch a 3G-800MHz service commercially.

A source close to DTAC said that it might decide to launch the commercial service soon by using a licence given by the NTC. But an NTC source said that licence was just for installation and use of the 3G network, not for the launch of a commercial service. DTAC has to wait for CAT, which owns its concession, to permit it to launch the commercial service.

DTAC is expanding 3G services to cover another 400 base stations in Greater Bangkok, up from 36 stations.

Meanwhile, Advanced Info Service (AIS) has established 1,884 more 3G base stations in Bangkok and major economic provinces to enable it to expand its 3G services quickly, on top of the 131 existing stations in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Hua Hin and Chon Buri. It has provided the service on a commercial trial basis, using its 900MHz spectrum.

AIS, DTAC and TrueMove all are waiting for the upcoming National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission to auction the long-awaited 3G-2.1GHz spectrum licences to enable them to own the spectrum and begin real competition in the market.

Once their concession terms expire, the three companies have to return network assets to their concession owners TOT and CAT and their spectra to the NBTC.

Once they get the NBTC 3G licences, they will set up their own networks, instead of depending on CAT or TOT, to enable efficient management and service.

-- The Nation 2011-07-21

[tominbkk]

Can somebody tell me in a snetence or two the story of why it has taken more than 5 years to open up this technology?

[RabC]

Dont need a sentence one word will do.

Corruption

[animatic]

Greed, face saving, jingoist nationalism and myopia are the order of the day; 24 / 7 / 365

Edited July 21, 2011 by animatic

[rak sa_ngop]

'Yesterday CAT Telecom soft-launched its My brand third-generation service, which uses high-speed packet access (HSPA) technology on the 800-megahertz spectrum. It will officially launch the service on August 28.'

Am I missing something here? I thought most phones here in Thailand are sold with either the 850 or 900 MHz HSPA frequencies. Are there any phones available that work on 800 MHz?

[bubba]

I'm on AIS and interestingly, I have begun seeing more and more 3G service on my iPhone in various parts of Bangkok. Just yesterday, I saw new 3G services along my commute to work that I had never seen before. Not sure what's up with that, as it really doesn't seem to have been publicised, unless I have missed something.

[Disinto]

'Yesterday CAT Telecom soft-launched its My brand third-generation service, which uses high-speed packet access (HSPA) technology on the 800-megahertz spectrum. It will officially launch the service on August 28.'

Am I missing something here? I thought most phones here in Thailand are sold with either the 850 or 900 MHz HSPA frequencies. Are there any phones available that work on 800 MHz?

It's indeed 850, the journalists are wrong (like referring to 1900 MHz instead of 2100 MHz for TOT spectrum)

[Disinto]

I'm on AIS and interestingly, I have begun seeing more and more 3G service on my iPhone in various parts of Bangkok. Just yesterday, I saw new 3G services along my commute to work that I had never seen before. Not sure what's up with that, as it really doesn't seem to have been publicised, unless I have missed something.

That's very good! Which areas exactly? I asked AIS regarding 3G coverage in BMA, they replied me the following:

We appriciate for your interesting about our AIS Super 3G service. We are currently working on the network for more covering area. Therefore,you can be certain that we will do our best to provide you our highspeed 3G and please looking forward to hear the good news about the new coverage area in the nearly future.

Edited July 21, 2011 by Disinto

[infernalman7]

Dont need a sentence one word will do.

Corruption

For the delayed NBTC licenses? Yes

But for companies to offer 3G on their existing spectra (AIS and DTAC): not because of corruption. They all wanted to wait for the NBTC licenses but the current demand in the market needs 3G right now. So what they are doing is building a 3G network that will probably be used for only the next 2-3 years. Once they receive the license to operate 3G on 2100MHz spectrum, they can simply write off the 3G network they are building right now.

So basically they are doing it just to position themselves well in the market. They cannot live without having 3G because the people want it even though this investment is extremely short-term.

[edgarfriendly]

how far is the international community away from launching 4g technology?

ef

[Disinto]

Dont need a sentence one word will do.

Corruption

For the delayed NBTC licenses? Yes

But for companies to offer 3G on their existing spectra (AIS and DTAC): not because of corruption. They all wanted to wait for the NBTC licenses but the current demand in the market needs 3G right now. So what they are doing is building a 3G network that will probably be used for only the next 2-3 years. Once they receive the license to operate 3G on 2100MHz spectrum, they can simply write off the 3G network they are building right now.

So basically they are doing it just to position themselves well in the market. They cannot live without having 3G because the people want it even though this investment is extremely short-term.

No. W-CDMA can well operate with a combination of low- (coverage) and high-frequency (capacity) layers.

[VictorOne]

Can somebody tell me in a snetence or two the story of why it has taken more than 5 years to open up this technology?

TIT

[wpcoe]

Real move kicks off H brand

Real Move on Monday launched its TrueMove H brand. Its service currently covers the Bangkok metropolitan area, Hua Hin, Phuket and Chon Buri.

I currently have a post-paid iPhone 3G contract with TrueMove, so I've been following -- and been confused by -- all this talk about TrueMove and Real Move.

Some reports say TrueMove will no longer offer 3G, that everything is being transferred to Real Move. This article says the TrueMove H brand is a part of Real Move.

Is TrueMove a sub-brand of Real Move, or are they separate brands/companies?

[Disinto]

Real move kicks off H brand

Real Move on Monday launched its TrueMove H brand. Its service currently covers the Bangkok metropolitan area, Hua Hin, Phuket and Chon Buri.

I currently have a post-paid iPhone 3G contract with TrueMove, so I've been following -- and been confused by -- all this talk about TrueMove and Real Move.

Some reports say TrueMove will no longer offer 3G, that everything is being transferred to Real Move. This article says the TrueMove H brand is a part of Real Move.

Is TrueMove a sub-brand of Real Move, or are they separate brands/companies?

Let's say RealMove and TrueMove are part of the True group. It is expected that TrueMove, which is currently operating 3G in limited areas on a non-commercial trial basis will migrate its customers on RealMove which will operate 3G on a fully commercial basis on different assets (on the network built by BFKT, which is also a True company).

RealMove will then market its service under the TrueMoveH brand.

Edited July 21, 2011 by Disinto

[jfchandler]

Forgive me for being skeptical...

But if you add up all the supposed new 3G cell sites that the various companies, according to the OP article, have already brought online or will imminently (apart from the larger numbers out in the future), it's numbering in the thousands...

Frankly, I just haven't seen that much new cell site activity around Bangkok that would reach those kinds of numbers, nor do I have that much confidence in the ability of those companies to contract for, locate and install those kinds of numbers of cell sites in a relatively short time frame.... since the collapse of the formal 3G bidding some months back.

I have no doubt they have PLANS... But I highly doubt they've actually been able to deploy the kind of numbers being tossed about in the OP article.

[woodyleonhard]

I'm on AIS and interestingly, I have begun seeing more and more 3G service on my iPhone in various parts of Bangkok. Just yesterday, I saw new 3G services along my commute to work that I had never seen before. Not sure what's up with that, as it really doesn't seem to have been publicised, unless I have missed something.

AIS is rolling out HSPA/3G service in Phuket at the end of the month. Brief blurb in the Phuket Gazette here, with details to follow in Saturday's paper. Perhaps you're seeing the BKK side of the nation-wide rollout?

It's on TOT's network, thus runs at 900 MHz. (More precisely it's HSPDA at 910-915 MHz, HSPUA at 955-960 MHz.)

[woodyleonhard]

<snip>

So basically they are doing it just to position themselves well in the market. They cannot live without having 3G because the people want it even though this investment is extremely short-term.

No. W-CDMA can well operate with a combination of low- (coverage) and high-frequency (capacity) layers.

I think Disinto is quite correct: all of the mobile companies, plus TOT and CAT, need to get HSPA out NOW, to nail down market share. When the auctions come, almost anything could happen. I wrote about it in this week's Phuket Gazette.

CDMA doesn't have the pizzazz the companies need. It's too closely identified with CAT. It doesn't market worth beans - even if CAT calls it "3G," much of the world doesn't agree. I'm not even sure if the iPads sold in Thailand will work with CDMA. Note that there are two different versions of the iPad2 available in the US, for precisely this reason. Most importantly, anyone who buys CDMA technology is locked into CAT. Those who buy HSPA devices can, at least in theory, move among many providers.

[SAffer]

Forgive me for being skeptical...

But if you add up all the supposed new 3G cell sites that the various companies, according to the OP article, have already brought online or will imminently (apart from the larger numbers out in the future), it's numbering in the thousands...

Frankly, I just haven't seen that much new cell site activity around Bangkok that would reach those kinds of numbers, nor do I have that much confidence in the ability of those companies to contract for, locate and install those kinds of numbers of cell sites in a relatively short time frame.... since the collapse of the formal 3G bidding some months back.

I have no doubt they have PLANS... But I highly doubt they've actually been able to deploy the kind of numbers being tossed about in the OP article.

I think it's pretty simple to get 3G sites. My previous company used to do installations- we would retro-fit an existing 2G site with 3G equipment, and have it up and running in 1 day... sometimes 2 days (that's 1 team on 1 site).

[jfchandler]

I think it's pretty simple to get 3G sites. My previous company used to do installations- we would retro-fit an existing 2G site with 3G equipment, and have it up and running in 1 day... sometimes 2 days (that's 1 team on 1 site).

Thanks for that... I'm not a cellular engineer... So let me confirm what you're saying...

Any of the Thai telcom providers can easily retrofit any of their existing GSM 2G cell sites to upgrade them to also operate on 3G -- so they'd be carrying 2G content on one set of frequencies and 3G content on a different set -- and be able to do that in one or two days per site???

My assumption was that they were having to arrange and install a lot of entirely new sites.... perhaps a wrong assumption.

[Disinto]

AIS is rolling out HSPA/3G service in Phuket at the end of the month. Brief blurb in the Phuket Gazette here, with details to follow in Saturday's paper. Perhaps you're seeing the BKK side of the nation-wide rollout?

It's on TOT's network, thus runs at 900 MHz. (More precisely it's HSPDA at 910-915 MHz, HSPUA at 955-960 MHz.)

No, TOT 3G network operates in the 2100 MHz band. AIS uses its own assets (its recent Ericsson gear) to provide 3G service in the 900 MHz band.

I think Disinto is quite correct: all of the mobile companies, plus TOT and CAT, need to get HSPA out NOW, to nail down market share. When the auctions come, almost anything could happen. I wrote about it in this week's Phuket Gazette.

CDMA doesn't have the pizzazz the companies need. It's too closely identified with CAT. It doesn't market worth beans - even if CAT calls it "3G," much of the world doesn't agree. I'm not even sure if the iPads sold in Thailand will work with CDMA. Note that there are two different versions of the iPad2 available in the US, for precisely this reason. Most importantly, anyone who buys CDMA technology is locked into CAT. Those who buy HSPA devices can, at least in theory, move among many providers.

That's correct.

[Disinto]

I think it's pretty simple to get 3G sites. My previous company used to do installations- we would retro-fit an existing 2G site with 3G equipment, and have it up and running in 1 day... sometimes 2 days (that's 1 team on 1 site).

Thanks for that... I'm not a cellular engineer... So let me confirm what you're saying...

Any of the Thai telcom providers can easily retrofit any of their existing GSM 2G cell sites to upgrade them to also operate on 3G -- so they'd be carrying 2G content on one set of frequencies and 3G content on a different set -- and be able to do that in one or two days per site???

My assumption was that they were having to arrange and install a lot of entirely new sites.... perhaps a wrong assumption.

Depends on the generation of the baseband unit, RF unit and the type of antennas installed on site. It can be trivial for new generation base station (minus the pre- and post-launch optimization) but harder and more costly for old hardware (basically there will be a complete baseband and RF overlay).

[jfchandler]

Let's see if I can keep my scorecard straight on so-called 3G in Thailand...

True and/or Real Move: 850 Mhz now and for the future...

DTAC: 850 Mhz (and lost in the woods)

AIS: 900 Mhz for their own system, but working on a 3G roaming deal with TOT for 2100 Mhz (not sure how that will be priced to AIS customers)

TOT/IMobile: 2100 Mhz in Bangkok, and planning to expand nationally.

Future national spectrum award(s): 2100 Mhz...

So... which phone and mobile company would you like to choose???

[Disinto]

Correct

I'll switch from TMV to AIS ASAP because my work is bi-band HSPA 900/2100 and hence doesn't support the 850 band currently operated by CAT, DTAC, TrueMove & RealMove.

[jfchandler]

These things have been perpetually in flux...

Right now, as best as I can keep track...

TOT/I-Mobile on 2100 and True on 850 have decent existing 3G service in Bangkok...

Outside of BKK, True has 3G in a number of the larger, more touristy cities, and of course is planning to expand pretty much nationally via CAT. TOT is planning to expand nationally as well, but right now, I believe has its 3G only in BKK and nowhere else.

AIS on the 900 band has had almost no 3G in BKK until lately, but has had a couple of cities upcountry, just is adding Phuket now and is trying to mount its 3G service in BKK.

DTAC on the 850 band had a very small 3G trial in BKK in very very limited areas, and I'm not sure they have much 3G beyond that anywhere else.

[Disinto]

<br />These things have been perpetually in flux...<br /><br />Right now, as best as I can keep track...<br /><br />TOT/I-Mobile on 2100 and True on 850 have decent existing 3G service in Bangkok... <br /><br />Outside of BKK, True has 3G in a number of the larger, more touristy cities, and of course is planning to expand pretty much nationally via CAT. TOT is planning to expand nationally as well, but right now, I believe has its 3G only in BKK and nowhere else.<br /><br />AIS on the 900 band has had almost no 3G in BKK until lately, but has had a couple of cities upcountry, just is adding Phuket now and is trying to mount its 3G service in BKK.<br /><br />DTAC on the 850 band had a very small 3G trial in BKK in very very limited areas, and I'm not sure they have much 3G beyond that anywhere else.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

That's a very good summary. Like I said before, I personnally rule out 850 due to ecosystem availability and am eagerly waiting for AIS to crank up its 3G 900 MHz installed base. BTW, TOT 3G coverage is not that great in BMA. Frequent losses of signal, poor handovers (lack of optimization), poor in-building penetration (due to the higher frequency used). Fortunately, everything will be better when AIS & TOT will cooperate hand in hand to combine their low and high frequency networks.

[Disinto]

Coolos!!! I just noticed that I have 5 bars in my condo when camping on AIS 3G 900 with a prepaid SIM card. Yahoo! AIS has just gained another customer

[CrustyJuggler66]

"cover 13 per cent of the population." Yep, it's called Bangkok.

[jfchandler]

BTW, TOT 3G coverage is not that great in BMA. Frequent losses of signal, poor handovers (lack of optimization), poor in-building penetration (due to the higher frequency used). Fortunately, everything will be better when AIS & TOT will cooperate hand in hand to combine their low and high frequency networks.

Actually, I have, and use in central/downtown BKK, both 3G phones and SIMs that run on True's 850 band and TOT/I-Mobile's 2100 band....

Nothing hardcore like trying to stream audio or video... But just checking email and web surfing... And I-Mobile's service has been fine for that.... almost never find myself with a connection..... except when I visit the hospital where my wife works...and the 3G signal dies the moment I walk indoors.... I'm assuming it's those thick hospital walls combined with the penetration profile of 2100 Mhz...

For now, I'm staying agnostic...with a foot in both the 850 and 2100 Mhz ponds.... The way Thai politics and the bureaucracy goes, I think it's a bit early to be betting on which carrier and service is going to end up being the most comprehensive in coverage combined with a quality network and competitive pricing....

As for AIS's proposed 3G roaming agreement with TOT, it hasn't been consummated, last I heard. And from what I've read, it's not at all clear how that's going to work, assuming it is consummated. I haven't seen anything that says AIS 3G customers in the future will have free, carte blanche use of TOT's 3G network when they can't get AIS 3G... and that's assuming their phone can handle 3G on both the 900 and 2100 Mhz bands....

If I was an AIS customer, I wouldn't really want to be paying AIS for their service and then paying them more in extra roaming charges when I happen to go outside the (for the foreseeable future) limited areas where they have 3G coverage.

[wpcoe]

I currently have a post-paid iPhone 3G contract with TrueMove, so I've been following -- and been confused by -- all this talk about TrueMove and Real Move.

Some reports say TrueMove will no longer offer 3G, that everything is being transferred to Real Move. This article says the TrueMove H brand is a part of Real Move.

Is TrueMove a sub-brand of Real Move, or are they separate brands/companies?

Let's say RealMove and TrueMove are part of the True group. It is expected that TrueMove, which is currently operating 3G in limited areas on a non-commercial trial basis will migrate its customers on RealMove which will operate 3G on a fully commercial basis on different assets (on the network built by BFKT, which is also a True company).

RealMove will then market its service under the TrueMoveH brand.

Thanks. I had forgotten about this thread, and posted elsewhere about my concern about what will happen with my TrueMove (no H) B599/mo iPhone free-size package when TrueMove H becomes the new marketing branch.

According to a cluster of sales gals at a True office in Hua Hin, I need not worry about my current B599/mo plan as TrueMove packages are one-year contracts. At the end of one year (next spring) I will need to select from whatever packages TrueMove H is offering at that time. Currently, TrueMove H doesn't have anything as good as my current TrueMove package, but maybe by then, they will?

Apparently TrueMove (no H) will no longer be marketing 3G after today (7/31/2001), but existing contracts will be honored by TrueMove H until they expire. I hope that's right!