PM orders NBTC to hold 4G mobile licences auction in November

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday ordered the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to call auction for two licences of the fourth generation or 4G mobile phone service in November after it has been delayed for years.

At the meeting of the ad hoc digital committee chaired by the prime minister, the NBTC which is the national telecom and broadcast regulator, was also ordered not to put off auction of the 4G mobile licences any longer.

The prime minister’s tough decision came after the committee was informed that CAT Telecom has agreed to return its unused bandwidth to the NBTC.

He also authorised related ministries to speed up the development of the country’s first national data centre project, expecting to complete the survey for data centre demand among state agencies by October.

At the meeting, the committee agreed that the two 4G licences under the 1800-MHz spectrum to be auctioned in November will have a combined bandwidth of 30 MHz, or 15 MHz for each licence which will enhance the 4G service more efficiently and with better quality.

CAT Telecom returned its unused five MHz on the 1800-MHz spectrum to the NBTC unconditionally for the fourth generation (4G) auction.

Sitthichai Pokai-udom, adviser to deputy prime minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula, said the unused bandwidth return will increase the total bandwidth to be auctioned to 30 MHz, increasing the bandwidth of each licence from 12.5 MHz to 15 MHz, which will enhance service quality.

He said the government expected the additional bandwidth will raise proceeds from the auction by at least 5-6 billion baht to 39.7 billion baht, up from 33.1 billion baht earlier projected.

Starting price for each licence was also expected to rise to 13-14 billion baht from 11.6 billion, said secretary-general of the NBTC Takorn Tantasith.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-orders-nbtc-to-hold-4g-mobile-licences-auction-in-november


-- Thai PBS 2015-07-16

It's sad that Mighty Thailand still doesn't have 4G, when Little Lowly Lao has already had it for a couple of years now.

In 40% of Thailand is still only Edge available or a mark 3G with speed even lower than Edge, so why the hell would they want to get 4G on the market.

Oh yes! Hurry up! The AIS 3G here in Bangkok is excellent but I really can't wait for 4G!

Oh, this is hilarious, each month I get a message from DEFECT telling me I have used my 500 mb at some speed and I will be downgraded Hah ha ha, I am in Isaan, their downgrade is the same bloody speed as before, LOL Oh come on, do your worst it will not be any worse than the usual shit, ha ha ha

It's sad that Mighty Thailand still doesn't have 4G, when Little Lowly Lao has already had it for a couple of years now.

You better believe it, damn good and damn cheap.

CAT Telecom returned its unused five MHz on the 1800-MHz spectrum to the NBTC unconditionally for the fourth generation (4G) auction.

CAT's union thought they would hold that 5 MHz for ransom. I guess the PM read them the riot act.

Why has the NBTC been dragging this process out so long; the auction was originally scheduled for this past April? Why do the have to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the 21st Century? Dirty dealing in the back room I suspect.

4G is much faster and cheaper to operate than 3G so everyone benefits. Bring it on. I think most phones sold on the market are already 4G compliant.

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Populist policies are proving to be expensive.

Must get more funds!

wonder how much they'll make AIS pay for the license...

I wonder why when the govt do everything democratic while the other govt didn't you never whistled.

Of the nation's that still lack serious 4G coverage Thailand ranks among Equatorial Guinea, the Congo, and a few others like Angola and Burkina Faso. It is completely deplorable that this nation has been unable to expand its 4G network beyond a few neighborhoods in Bangkok. How far behind the tech curve will they allow themselves to fall?

It's sad that Mighty Thailand still doesn't have 4G, when Little Lowly Lao has already had it for a couple of years now.

You better believe it, damn good and damn cheap.

It appears that every time a new government is elected or installed here, every positive program or initiative from the previous government is scrapped. So, hence the lack of progress. This is what happens when you have man children with little or no talent, aptitude, or experience, running a country.

The Philippines has a 4G system in place, that is faster than in the US. Laos does. Vietnam will have its system up and running next year. The only countries in the region that do not, are broken down Burma, corrupt and dictatorial Cambodia and yours truly.

What about the auction for the 900 Mhz LTE band? No mention of that in the OP news report.

The government is supposed to be moving ahead with auctions for BOTH the 900 and 1800 Mhz 4G/LTE bands.

As for mobile phones, I don't know the exact numbers, but my impression is A LOT of the phones still being sold in the Thai market are NOT LTE compatible as yet, especially in the lower priced end of the marketplace.

Also, it comes down to does any particular phone have the CORRECT/MATCHING LTE frequencies for those the Thai mobile companies are going to use. The higher priced phones tend to cover a lot of different 4G bands, but even the middle range models may only have a couple LTE bands.

True and DTAC right now are on 2100 Mhz LTE for their 4G... But I think both are planning to use the 1800 Mhz band for 4G/LTE if/when they win auction rights for 4G. AIS has no LTE right now, and from what I've read, it sounds like they're looking at either 900 or 1800 Mhz for their future LTE, depending on the outcome of the auctions.