NBTC expected to grant 3G licences after December 18 if not blocked legally

USANEE MONGKOLPORN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission is expected to consider granting the licences to the three bid winners of slots on the 2.1-gigahertz spectrum some time after December 18 if there is no legal obstacle or court order to halt the process, NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasit said yesterday.

December 18 is when the NBTC's telecom committee is expected to finish determining interim maximum tariffs for both voice and data services for the three winners of last month's spectrum auction - Advanced Wireless Network, DTAC Network, and Real Future. They will use the bandwidth slots to provide third-generation cellular service.

The Ombudsman petitioned the Central Administrative Court on Thursday to consider whether the spectrum auction on October 16 saw free and fair competition as required by the Constitution and the Frequency Allocation Law. It also sought an injunction to suspend granting of the licences. The court is expected to make a decision on the petition on Monday.

However, Takorn said the petition was directed at the NBTC office, of which he is in charge, not at the NBTC board.

"I don't know what I will have to do if the court issues the injunction, as I am not the one who drew up the auction regulations. That was the NBTC's telecom committee," he said.

According to the rules established for the auction, the licences should be granted within 90 days after the telecom committee's approval of its outcome. The committee issued that endorsement on October 18, so the licences should be granted by January 18.

In a related matter, Takorn said the telecom committee would impose temporary maximum tariffs for mobile data services, and not only for voice service, on the licences of the 3G bid winners.

His remark appeared to contradict what NBTC vice chairman Settapong Malisuwan told the media on Tuesday, that the telecom committee would set the interim tariff maximum only for voice service, as it did not yet have enough information to work out the data-service tariff. This prompted criticism by consumer groups, as 3G service is about data service as much as voice service.

Takorn denied that the plan to set interim tariffs for both types of service was a result of the telecom committee bowing to public pressure. He said the committee had made such a commitment to the auction winners on October 19 when it officially certified their successful bids.

The NBTC will call in the bid winners to discuss the issue on Tuesday. They will propose the appropriate rates to the commission on November 23 before the NBTC office submits the final rates for the telecom committee's consideration on December 18.

The watchdog in parallel will work out permanent regulations on the |maximum 3G voice and data tariffs, which will apply only to the three bid winners. TOT and CAT Telecom will |also be called in to provide more information for the NBTC to develop the regulations.

Takorn said the NBTC office had allowed its fact-finding panel to extend the deadline for its probe into possible collusion among the three bid winners to November 25 from the original date of November 10.

In a separate matter, the NBTC |will transfer its 2010 regulatory-fee income of Bt1.658 billion to state coffers. The watchdog passes the fees to the state after covering expenses every year according to the Frequency Allocation Law.

But the Finance Ministry has yet to rule whether the NBTC can pass to the state half of the total final up-front fees of the spectrum auction right now or should keep the money until the legal challenges are settled.

The three bid winners have paid a combined Bt22.269 billion to the NBTC, representing half of the total up-front spectrum fee.

-- The Nation 2012-11-10

According to the rules established for the auction, the licences should be granted within 90 days after the telecom committee's approval of its outcome. The committee issued that endorsement on October 18, so the licences should be granted by January 18.

That looks more like a 3 month rule, than a 90 day rule, to me. Maybe they should talk with the immigration about 90 day rules!

Wasn't this resolved by DTAC yesterday mentioning it takes 15 minutes to enable 4G so why even bother with this rubbish and scam around 3G?

In a related matter, Takorn said the telecom committee would impose temporary maximum tariffs for mobile data services, and not only for voice service, on the licences of the 3G bid winners.

His remark appeared to contradict what NBTC vice chairman Settapong Malisuwan told the media on Tuesday, that the telecom committee would set the interim tariff maximum only for voice service, as it did not yet have enough information to work out the data-service tariff. This prompted criticism by consumer groups, as 3G service is about data service as much as voice service.

Imposing temporary mandatory, presumably lower, fees for voice and data on existing concessions doesn't really make a lot of sense, nor would it seem to be legal? Since the service providers pay a concession fee, to TOT and CAT, based an average of 27% of the revenue, this means that the concession fees will decrease, as top line revenue will decrease.

I'm kind of assuming that any mandated reduced fees apply to services delivered via licensed (2100 MHz) spectrum? Or maybe the lower fees will apply to both concession and auction spectrum, but not be implemented until auction spectrum is turned up? Very confusing.

Edited November 10, 201213 yr by lomatopo

PATIENCE they say is a Virture, but bullpucky is not. I do not doubt for 15 par/sec that DTAC is correct about the 15minute time to get 4G working,

but 15par/ses + another unknown period of time is complete BullPucky.

Why the hell install 3G when the current civilized world is on 4G.

Especially in light of the massive amount of tourists who bring their computers here.

Edited November 10, 201213 yr by jerrysteve

How does anyone know what to pay if the tarrif structure isn't in place before the auction.

"The three bid winners have paid a combined Bt22.269 billion to the NBTC, representing half of the total up-front spectrum fee."

No! we are paying that cost once this gets started - and still waiting to start paying it - all the while some try and find way to make sure it all cost us cost more later.

How does anyone know what to pay if the tarrif structure isn't in place before the auction.

They can borrow the same structure police use when they stop you on your motor bike for some incomprehensible infraction.

Wasn't this resolved by DTAC yesterday mentioning it takes 15 minutes to enable 4G so why even bother with this rubbish and scam around 3G?

Do you have a phone that can use 4G? Don't the truly fast speeds rely on LTE, not HSPA and who's got that ability on their phones? (apart from i5 phones & S3's, yes, I know)

Edited November 10, 201213 yr by Sanctimonious

Meanwhile in the rest of the world, 3G is old news and even North Korea is moving to 4G.

Wasn't this resolved by DTAC yesterday mentioning it takes 15 minutes to enable 4G so why even bother with this rubbish and scam around 3G?

Do you have a phone that can use 4G? Don't the truly fast speeds rely on LTE, not HSPA and who's got that ability on their phones? (apart from i5 phones & S3's, yes, I know)

A lot more, but to start with:

Apple iPhone 5

HTC One X

Samsung Galaxy Note II

Samsung Galaxy S III

HTC EVO 4G LTELG Connect 4G

Pantech Flex

Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx HD

Samsung Galaxy Stellar

Nokia Lumia's

Check out over 100 here:

http://www.verizonwi...e-devices.shtml

Edited November 10, 201213 yr by noob7

"BANGKOK: -- The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission is expected to consider granting the licences to the three bid winners of slots on the 2.1-gigahertz spectrum some time after December 18 if there is no legal obstacle or court order to halt the process, NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasit said yesterday."

Isn't that nice a legal auction by one arm of the government three bids that were big enough to match what the government wanted and they are going to consider it.

In the mean time another part of the government tries to get the bids discredited.

The Ombudsman ... sought an injunction to suspend granting of the licences

Perhaps the Ombudsman would like to start up his own company providing a 3G service to the nation.

Delays, delays and more delays. Will 3G ever happen here? I somehow doubt it. Talk about backwards in going forward.

The Ombudsman ... sought an injunction to suspend granting of the licences

Perhaps the Ombudsman would like to start up his own company providing a 3G service to the nation.

Delays, delays and more delays. Will 3G ever happen here? I somehow doubt it. Talk about backwards in going forward.

Maybe the Ombudsman didn't find his envelopes, till now? Or found one to many, so can't say, which is which?