Thailand Raises $1.4 Bln In 3G Mobile Auction

[Thai at Heart]

3G AUCTION

Proposals of an NBTC commissioner

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission should host an urgent meeting to diffuse hiccups regarding to the Oct 16 3G auction, said a commissioner.

Supinya Klangnarong, a commissioner who is a member of the NBTC’s broadcasting committee, recommended three options in her tweets.

First, NBTC calls for a new auction.

Second, NBTC must finalise rules on 3G service fees within 3 months.

Third, all three bidders must be bound to a commitment to put public interest as first priority.

She noted that all did not want the auction cancelled, but as the auction went through all parties must set some rules to ensure maximum benefits to consumers.

"I’m in the middle of the storm. It’s awkward. Still, there is a way out. It needs the NBTC board’s political will to ensure the win-win situation for this national issue," she said.

-- The Nation 2012-10-17

Oh my word. They have held the auction only yesterday, and she says this? One would really seriously have to believe that she cannot be remotely qualified for the job if only one day after the event she is having second thoughts.

[techboy]

Thailand is not very high-tech. 2012 and no 3G yet. While other countrys are testing next step 5G. They should drop the 3G plans and implement 4G. I feel like living in the stoneage.

As I stated in a more detailed post- Just go and check on the actual service provided by some these countries which claim to have 4G technology. It may technically be in place but they cannot deliver it! I have no complaints about Thailand's 3G. Yes they do have it and at least they are able to deliver what they say that they have!

[techboy]

Ya gotta laugh...really ! Yesterday I noticed a new add for AIS promoting their 3G AND... 4G ... can you believe this <deleted> ? I'm in the middle of BKK and couldn't get stable 3G from AIS.

My AIS works well but has problems with 3G cutting out. I primarily use DTAC which can also experience this problem but it is generally primo (Bangkok, Chiangmai and even Maesai). Check your network settings?

[muratremix]

Thailand is not very high-tech. 2012 and no 3G yet. While other countrys are testing next step 5G. They should drop the 3G plans and implement 4G. I feel like living in the stoneage.

Really? What about my truemove-h hspa+ connection in village in isaan? Do you have 3g in rural areas like small villages in your 1st world country?

[muratremix]

Ya gotta laugh...really ! Yesterday I noticed a new add for AIS promoting their 3G AND... 4G ... can you believe this <deleted> ? I'm in the middle of BKK and couldn't get stable 3G from AIS.

Move your number to truemove-h and enjoy 3g countrywide.

[Estrada]

The complaint was that the bidders offered prices 30% lower than the value calculated by Chulalongkorn University Academics, and that there was collusion amongst the bidders.

1. Nothing has changed, collusion is normal. On a recent bid for the MRT, the bids put in by two well known construction companies were so close, a few thousand baht on a several Billion Baht deal, that we were all falling about laughing when the bid prices were announced.

2. 30% has been the going rate for kick backs to the powers that be, although I remember one major job where a discount was offered at 28%.

Sometimes the boot is on the other foot, such as when Thaksin had his Lawyer negotiate a deal in the U.A.E.and his Lawyer deducted the normal 30% incentive for himself. Thaksin

had him prosecuted.

3. The auction is to give an illusion of transparency with 70% going direct into the state coffers. If we assume the going rate of 30% has still to be paid by the bidders then the bidders will end up paying the full value for the frequencies to the powers that be, one way or another.

[lomatopo]

Thailand is not very high-tech. 2012 and no 3G yet. While other countrys are testing next step 5G. They should drop the 3G plans and implement 4G. I feel like living in the stoneage.

I think you'll find that many have been using 3G here for more than one year, and in the case of TrueMove --> H, nearly three years.

I have been using DTAC 3G since August, 2011, and it works well for my applications.

The existing concessions are ending over the next one (True - 2013) to six (DTAC - 2018) years. Yesterday's auction is the first step from the concession era into the licensing era and should probably be viewed more positively?

[RobinHolmes]

Think they MUST mean 4G

[Jitar]

Ya gotta laugh...really ! Yesterday I noticed a new add for AIS promoting their 3G AND... 4G ... can you believe this <deleted> ? I'm in the middle of BKK and couldn't get stable 3G from AIS.

Move your number to truemove-h and enjoy 3g countrywide.

Enjoy the Truemove-h "countrywide" coverage except for the areas where there is no coverage. I don't know about other provinces but there are plenty of areas with out coverage in Rayong.

[jbrain]

3G AUCTION

Proposals of an NBTC commissioner

Third, all three bidders must be bound to a commitment to put public interest as first priority.

[TPI]

How much money went into the hands of politicians?

How long is a piece of string!!!!!!

Neither of you have a clue as whether this sort of thing occurred -Nevermind how much. Love to read these great insights

You obviously haven't been in the LoS very long! Every action of any government here is taxed by the elite by 30-50%, straight into their pockets. Why do you think there are so many unfinished or poorly finished projects here??

[IsaanUSA]

Spectrum for LTE/4G is still tied up in existing concessions, and there is no need for it here yet. And no need to require everyone to buy a new handset.

The article mentions DTAC is testing 4G. Do you know what spectrum they are using for that? Some of their existing spectrum or?

[jbrain]

Spectrum for LTE/4G is still tied up in existing concessions, and there is no need for it here yet. And no need to require everyone to buy a new handset.

The article mentions DTAC is testing 4G. Do you know what spectrum they are using for that? Some of their existing spectrum or?

I think Dtac is using 4G already,

I'm on Dtac 3G for the past 6 months,and definitely my last, located within less than 1500 meters of the signal tower as I can see the it from my home, and get most of the the time close to 40KB/s download speed.

That is what you meant, not? 40KB = 4G

[FarangTalk]

In the small print it means, with the auction over we wait for SIX MORE MONTH until Thailand can OFFICIALLY USE 3G,....

And then there will be ANOTHER PROBLEM OF REGULATION POLICIES, which will delay it ANOTHER 6 MONTHS, because the bidders can't make up their minds, and it has to be delayed for another 6 months because, the telecommunication authority if Thailand is taking a SPECIAL VACATION TRIP WHATSOEVER, and delay it another six months.,,.... And so on.... THOSE F****^**^^***ng A$$$$$$$$$$eeee$$$$$$$ of telecommunication government dogs!!!!!!

My "unofficial" 3G works great! Have you ever tried the 3G/4G services in some of these countries that are supposedly so far ahead of Thailand? I have. Most recently Singapore. The networks cannot handle the traffic and frequently it's like using EDGE. Whatever Thailand is doing its service is great- At least with DTAC and AIS. Oh yeah- In spite of the post-auction dip in stock price my AIS is still up 150% over last year's investment. I just love to listen to folks dump on how this country manages telecom

I work frequently in Singapore and I'm with SingTel, while in BKK I use DTAC and my experience is totally the opposite.

[IsaanUSA]

Spectrum for LTE/4G is still tied up in existing concessions, and there is no need for it here yet. And no need to require everyone to buy a new handset.

The article mentions DTAC is testing 4G. Do you know what spectrum they are using for that? Some of their existing spectrum or?

I think Dtac is using 4G already,

I'm on Dtac 3G for the past 6 months,and definitely my last, located within less than 1500 meters of the signal tower as I can see the it from my home, and get most of the the time close to 40KB/s download speed.

That is what you meant, not? 40KB = 4G

Nah, I meant what frequencies. I'm curious if my phone supports them. Is it LTE?

[kerrysum]

41billion Baht! that sounds like peanuts, the telecom companies are making an absolute killing.

Guess the ex-premier Thaksin wasn't so stupid was he????????? But be proud, little sis will carry on the same......

Kerry

[lomatopo]

Spectrum for LTE/4G is still tied up in existing concessions, and there is no need for it here yet. And no need to require everyone to buy a new handset.

The article mentions DTAC is testing 4G. Do you know what spectrum they are using for that? Some of their existing spectrum or?

Both DTAC and AIS are currently conducting very, very limited LTE trials, on 1800 MHz, and 2300 MHz.

In theory as concessions expire and frequency spectrum is "returned" to the NBTC, they will auction 1,800 MHz (and/or 900 MHz, or even 850 MHz) for LTE. 850 MHz, 900 MHz and 1800 MHz could be "re-farmed" here. LTE doesn't, or won't, really deliver all that much of a benefit to consumers, but it will allow service providers to address a larger number of users more efficiently.

[Keesters]

Thailand raises $1.4 bln in 3G mobile auction

Just where has Thailand raised this money from? From Thailand is the answer. So have they gained anything? No, all they've done is shift some money from one Thai pocket to another Thai pocket. So in reality the country (Thailand) has raised sweet nothing.

[MaxLee]

According to latest Bangkok Post articles, the 3G drama isn't over yet as I suspected, and the after affects could drag out into another 6 months, as I suspected, and so on and so forth....

Bottomline is that the proper infrastructure for telecommunication of Thailand never really existed, for such technology such as 3G, nor did the previous governments and existing government ACTUALLY CARE to invest into that necessary infrastructure to enable Thai customers to use 3G in Thailand.... so what if Bangkokians have 3G, the rest of Thailand's outer provinces outside of Bangkok will sit in the dark again, as the government again sh******loads on other provinces again,...

[Thai at Heart]

The annoying thing, is the statement of "costing" the country money.

What was the driving, agreed objective of the auction? To maximise revenue for the government? To insure a reliable affordable service? To make sure that competition existed in the market once the auction was completed?

To achieve every single objective is impossible, since they are opposed to each other. Of course, they could have driven the price up to a very high level, but when it came to be rolled out, would it be at a level affordable to the consumer? It isn't as simple as crying foul, because it isn't as though there isn't VAT to be charged on the bills for time immemorial.

I read a paper yesterday explaining how the Dutch auction for 3G delivered a very cheap result. 5 licenses with 5 bidders. Well, Thailand largely mimicked it with 9 licenses and 3 bidders. On the other hand, the Brits generated huge payments up front, and it was so expensive for the companies, it didn't get rolled out at an affordable level for several years.

So the so called academics presumably know there is a balance to be achieved, and screaming it cost the "country" money, doesn't tell the whole story. If your official 3G subscription monthly cost comes out at 2000 baht, how many people are going to bother to upgrade? Not many.

[MaxLee]

Let's wait and see what happens after another 6 months...... in order to wait for another 6 months.......

[biplanebluey]

Good on ya Vijer---------- I am the same--------I have a mobile phone---I text and I telephone-------MY PHONE IS FOR PHONING ----------- Dougal

[IsaanUSA]

Good on ya Vijer---------- I am the same--------I have a mobile phone---I text and I telephone-------MY PHONE IS FOR PHONING ----------- Dougal

You are really missing out. Smart phones are amazing. It is a computer in your pocket. Perhaps some of the features don't work as well in Thailand (such as Google maps, restaurant reviews or song identifiers). I used to think the same as you, until I bought my first android phone. WOW!