4G: CAT seeks 1800MHz partnership

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4G
CAT seeks 1800MHz partnership
Usanee Mongkolporn
The Nation


BANGKOK: -- CAT TELECOM is ready to seek a partnership to develop wireless broadband service on the idle 20MHz of the 1800MHz spectrum with any party, including the four bidders in today's 1800MHz licence auction, acting chief executive officer Colonel Sanpachai Huvanandana said yesterday.

Meanwhile, CAT's labour union yesterday sought an injunction at the Central Administrative Court to suspend the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission's auction of two 1800MHz licences today, while also requesting an urgent investigation of the case.

As of press time, the court had yet to make a decision on the matter.

The NBTC is ready to press ahead with the auction, despite such legal wrangles.

A telecom industry source said that there could be a surprise, as a new player might emerge in the market as a result of today's auction.

The four bidders are Advanced Wireless Network, DTAC TriNet, True Move H Universal Communication and Jas Mobile Broadband.

The NBTC's telecom committee yesterday approved CAT's request to upgrade the use of 20MHz of idle bandwidth on the 1800MHz spectrum to 4G long-term evolution (LTE) wireless broadband technology, and to use the bandwidth until September 15, 2018.

Moreover, if CAT can demonstrate that the usage term should be longer, it can submit evidence to that effect for the telecom panel's consideration.

The committee added that both CAT and its 1800MHz concession holder, Total Access Communication (DTAC), first had to enter into talks to decide which of the two would be responsible for the upgrade.

CAT has claimed that it has full rights over the idle bandwidth.

According to DTAC chief executive office Lars Norling, although the telecom regulator has allowed CAT to make use of the unused bandwidth on the 1800MHz spectrum to provide 4G service, DTAC had not yet received any official application that the state agency submitted to the NBTC in this regard.

The company is not, therefore, at this stage well placed to discuss the matter in detail with CAT, he added.

However, the idle bandwidth is still reserved for use by DTAC and any use of the frequency would require prior consent from the company, he stressed.

Sanpachai said that after the 1800MHz auction, CAT would hold talks with DTAC about a possible model for operating the idle bandwidth.

Regarding the lawsuit filed by CAT's labour union against NBTC's 1800MHz auction, he said the union had the right to file such a suit.

In its suit, the union said CAT had in fact filed a case against the auction in 2013 to defend its right to use the 1800MHz spectrum, but the case was still subject to the court's consideration.

The NBTC has reclaimed the spectrum from CAT for today's auction, with the 1800MHz concessions it granted to TrueMove and Digital Phone Co having ended in September 2013.

NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said yesterday that competition for the licences up for grabs today would be fierce.

The TOT labour union recently submitted a legal complaint to the Central Administrative Court against the NBTC's planned 900MHz auction, to defend TOT's right to continue using that spectrum.

The regulator is scheduled to |auction two 900MHz licences on December 15.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/CAT-seeks-1800MHz-partnership-30272665.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-11