Three Major Players Seek 3G Bid Info: Thailand

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JOGGLING FOR SPECTRUM BANDWIDTH

Three major players seek 3G bid info

Usanee Mongkolporn

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Only three of the major mobile operators submitted serious requests for information on the upcoming auction of third-generation cellular bandwidth on the 2.1-gigahertz spectrum during an information session for potential bidders held by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) yesterday.

Advanced Info Service (AIS), Total Access Communication (DTAC) and True are among 15 companies from nine groups to announce that they intend to join the auction, which will be held on October 16.

Most of the information requested concerned the length of the silent period imposed on potential bidders, blocking the release of public information during the auction period to avoid collusion.

Of the leading mobile-phone operators, three firms are expected to submit auction applications: AIS will apply via its subsidiary Advanced Wireless Network, DTAC via DTAC Internet Network and True Corp via Real Future.

To prevent collusion and to prepare for the auction, the NBTC will call on all telecom operators and potential 3G bidders to join the "countdown to 3G auction day" starting September 20, according to Takorn Tantasit, the NBTC's secretary-general.

Coincidentally, September 20 is the same date on which the ill-fated first 3G auction was scheduled two years ago. It was aborted by the Central Administrative Court.

As of yesterdaySeptember 14, 15 companies from nine groups had picked up 3G application forms. These include three each from AIS and True Corp and two each from units of DTAC and Jasmine Telecom.

The rest are BB Connect of Benchachinda group, the former owner of DTAC; Jaya Soft Vision, a subsidiary of telecom solution firm JRW Utility; Cable Thai Holding, a cable TV operator owned by Wichai Thongtang, a former lawyer of Thaksin Shinawatra; ACT Mobile, a subsidiary of TOT; and Victory Motor of Yuthana Photasuthon, which joined the bidding two years ago despite having no telecom background.

All interested companies can pick up application forms from the NBTC until September 27 and submit the applications on September 28.

The NBTC will announce the qualified bidders on October 10. Those who fail to qualify will have a chance to appeal before the auction takes place. The commission plans to announce the bid winners on October 22.

It will call bids for nine spectrum slots, each containing 5 megahertz of bandwidth at a reserve price of Bt4.5 billion. Each participant can bid for a maximum of 15MHz.

-- The Nation 2012-09-15

[ezflip]

Sad that Thailand can't even get their act toghether. 3G is sooooo passé. The rest of the world is going (or already is) 4G (LTE).

[jerrysteve]

In the U.S. 4G is incredibly fast and 5 G, already the next paradigm,and in some areas already available. Thailand cannot get their act together because they are caught up in fighting all the time over territory.

While they spend time fighting the rest of the world moves on. What a shame.

The Aircards are still to slow both uu load and down load speed.

You can now get Aircards, with speeds of 100 Mbps

Edited September 15, 2012 by jerrysteve

[KKvampire]

As ever Thailand Behind the curve , I wonder why? I know .....Corruption, , 3G should have been in Thailand 3 years ago, Infact its only in major cities now.. hahaaa

[ezflip]

The worst part is, given that Thais love to flaunt the newest and up-scale puchases, the new iPhone 5 is LTE ready but it cannot be used in Thailand at a decent 3G speed.

My 3gs iPhone will be just as fast as their spanking new iPhone 5.

[LuckyLew]

Is it just me or should they just skip the 3G and move right to 4G

This helps explains why Thailand is and always will be a 3rd world banana republic

[FarangTalk]

Cambodia has an excellent 3G network and already has started rolling out its 4G LTE.

I'm on DTAC 3G in BKK and never get decent speeds.

[RicFlair]

As UK rolls out EE(4G) Thais are still arguing over who gets the contracts. What happened to the auction 2 years ago? Perhaps the wrong people won the auction so they in power decided to ignore the result. Gotta love this place.

[skippybangkok]

Cambodia has an excellent 3G network and already has started rolling out its 4G LTE.

I'm on DTAC 3G in BKK and never get decent speeds.

duhhh

[RamblingSam]

Maybe the reason why the Thai telecomms companies aren't that interested in going to 3G is because of they are having problems sourcing s/hand 3G systems from companies outside Thailand? Ha ha ha! ... On the other hand, it could well be that they are aware that the vast majority of their users - in the poor rural areas - would not be happy coughing up the more expensive mobile network charges, and would much prefer the present network coverage and strength, to be better than it currently is?

[RicFlair]

Maybe the reason why the Thai telecomms companies aren't that interested in going to 3G is because of they are having problems sourcing s/hand 3G systems from companies outside Thailand? Ha ha ha! ... On the other hand, it could well be that they are aware that the vast majority of their users - in the poor rural areas - would not be happy coughing up the more expensive mobile network charges, and would much prefer the present network coverage and strength, to be better than it currently is?

But give kids tablets in schools...then they want an I pad...then need 3G.... there is a trail leading back to certain Telecommunication Directors.

PS I should get out more.

[RickBradford]

What holds Thailand back is the knuckle-dragging zero-sum mentality which pervades those in positions of influence; they figure that if you're winning, they must be losing.

As long as they continue squabbling over getting the largest slice of the pie, rather than working together to increase the overall size of the pie, the country will slip further and further behind, and deservedly so.

[kristofferR]

In the U.S. 4G is incredibly fast and 5 G, already the next paradigm,and in some areas already available.

Well, to be fair, that is completely inaccurate. 5G hasn't even been developed yet (and after that comes years of testing etc), technically most LTE is just 3.9G. Expect 5G around 2023

[ricku]

As ever Thailand Behind the curve , I wonder why? I know .....Corruption, , 3G should have been in Thailand 3 years ago, Infact its only in major cities now.. hahaaa

Then how come I was doing videocalls over 3G network, while I was on a boat between Koh Chang and Koh Mak?

Yes, Thailand is painfully slow and behind the rest of the world when it comes to telecom development, but let's not exaggerate..

Edited September 15, 2012 by ricku

[Skywalker69]

Sad that Thailand can't even get their act toghether. 3G is sooooo passé. The rest of the world is going (or already is) 4G (LTE).

Countries such as, Angola, Armenia, Belarus, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia. Thailand WAKE UP.

[KKvampire]

As ever Thailand Behind the curve , I wonder why? I know .....Corruption, , 3G should have been in Thailand 3 years ago, Infact its only in major cities now.. hahaaa

Then how come I was doing videocalls over 3G network, while I was on a boat between Koh Chang and Koh Mak?

Yes, Thailand is painfully slow and behind the rest of the world when it comes to telecom development, but let's not exaggerate..

Who's exaggerating? You.... I dont believe a word of it !!!

[skippybangkok]

Maybe the reason why the Thai telecomms companies aren't that interested in going to 3G is because of they are having problems sourcing s/hand 3G systems from companies outside Thailand? Ha ha ha! ... On the other hand, it could well be that they are aware that the vast majority of their users - in the poor rural areas - would not be happy coughing up the more expensive mobile network charges, and would much prefer the present network coverage and strength, to be better than it currently is?

What a nutter.... Of course u hv all the evidence to back this up.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect App

[indyuk]

Thailand make its own decisions. The coverage of the airwaves in the USA is nowhere near as extensive as members are implying. In any event why would Thailand follow the air waves requirements of a single manufacturer who already blocks content on it's other devices from users here in Thailand. Balance is reason. A headlong rush into supporting everyone's preferred technology does not make economic sense.

[skippybangkok]

As ever Thailand Behind the curve , I wonder why? I know .....Corruption, , 3G should have been in Thailand 3 years ago, Infact its only in major cities now.. hahaaa

Then how come I was doing videocalls over 3G network, while I was on a boat between Koh Chang and Koh Mak?

Yes, Thailand is painfully slow and behind the rest of the world when it comes to telecom development, but let's not exaggerate..

Who's exaggerating? You.... I dont believe a word of it !!!

Lol.... looks like someone never gets out of the house..........

used it all over Krabi / phi phi and phi phi side of phuket in the big bay..... worked just fine.

[ChokDeeMak]

Laos even has 4G network but what else do they have?? Beer Lao Dark? Speaking of Which When will Thailand start producing different beers/ales? Enough Importing Belgium and German and British and American. There are so Many Expats they should be making there own IPAs Brown ales Stouts ETC.