4G: NBTC postpones AIS 2G-900MHz switch-off date

[webfact]

4G
NBTC postpones AIS 2G-900MHz switch-off date
Usanee Mongkokporn
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has deferred the date it will switch off the 2G-900MHz service of Advanced Info Service (AIS) to December 22 from the originally planned November 19, NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said yesterday.

The decision follows its telecom committee's resolution on Monday to put off the auction date for 900MHz licences on the 900-megahertz spectrum from November 12 to December 15. The Cabinet yesterday acknowledged the new auction date.

The auction date for 1,800MHz licences remains unchanged at November 11.

Some 2.2 million subscribers of AIS's second-generation service on 900MHz are yet to migrate to other networks after the operator's 900MHz concession under TOT ended on September 30.

The NBTC has reclaimed the 900MHz spectrum from TOT so that it can be put up for auction.

In a related matter, TOT's labour union yesterday submitted a complaint against the 900MHz licence auction to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha via the Office of the Civil Service Commission.

In the complaint, the union asked for fair treatment from the prime minister regarding possible damage to TOT if the auction takes place.

If nothing happens after the complaint, the union will seek an injunction at the Central Administrative Court against the 900MHz auction.

Prayut said after yesterday's Cabinet meeting that in regard to the conflicts centring on the 900MHz spectrum, all parties should collaborate to help push the country forward. The problem could not be solved if all parties want to take all the benefits.

He added that only the auction date for the 900MHz licences had changed, while the 1,800MHz auction could be held as originally planned.

However, CAT Telecom's labour union also made a submission to the Office of the Civil Service Commission yesterday, setting out its stance against the NBTC plan to auction 1,800MHz licences.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/NBTC-postpones-AIS-2G-900MHz-switch-off-date-30272224.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-04

[casualbiker]

Why exactly are they switching off 2g most countries use it for voice calls.

[Jdietz]

New generation technology packs more data in the same frequency space. As voice calls are transferred as data also, means more profit for everyone (but you)

[IAMHERE]

So how do I know if I've 900 service with AIS? They may well have informed me with an SMS/TEXT but it would have appeared as a spam advertisement in Thai, not read it or able to understand it; just hit delete key.

[cigar7]

The NBTC has little understanding of the impact of their decisions in switching frequencies and protocols.

There are numerous devices, not just cell phones, that communicate using the 900Mhz/1800mhz frequency in 2G. Many of these devices will cost a minimum of 10,000+ baht to replace. There hundreds of thousands, if not a million, of these devices in Thailand, such as security/burglar systems, tracking and locating devices. There are very few models of these devices that use 3g, 4g or LTE to communicate, so it is back to the stone age of wires to communicate externally.

Amazing Thailand!!

Everybody on NBTC should be terminated.

Edited November 4, 2015 by cigar7

[cigar7]

So how do I know if I've 900 service with AIS? They may well have informed me with an SMS/TEXT but it would have appeared as a spam advertisement in Thai, not read it or able to understand it; just hit delete key.

I got a SMS from AIS, all in Thai, saying my 2G service will be terminated 15 December 2015 because AIS is no longer has a license to operate 2G. AIS will provide a 3G SIM if you surrender your 2G phone. They will give you a new free 3G phone on 2100Mhz.

AIS doesn't support English only Thai.

Edited November 4, 2015 by cigar7

[naboo]

I use AIS on their 2G network in my dual sim phone with a 3G data connection using the other sim. The coverage of AIS 2G in the rural North is excellent whilst 3G is not so great. Cutting off the 2G coverage will leave me and many others with very unreliable coverage.