4G: Dtac extends assurance to clients

[webfact]

4G
Dtac extends assurance to clients
The Nation


Lars Norling, chief executive officer of Dtac

BANGKOK: -- Failing to win a 4G licence for the service in the 1800MHz spectrum, Total Access Communication today issued a statement to assure clients of seamless services.

It said that the company’s 4G service coverage would be further expanded in the existing spectrum band under concession from CAT Telecom.

Lars Norling, chief executive officer of Dtac, said the company would further expand wider coverage to serve the growing demand of mobile users.

"Dtac is highly confident that all of existing spectrum dtac currently is operating on; in the 2100MHz, 1800MHz and 850MHz spectrum bands, are sufficient to provide quality and coverage of voice and internet services on 4G, 3G and 2G. Dtac already operates 5MHz of 4G services on 2100MHz spectrum from license and 10MHz of 4G services on 1800MHz spectrum on concession and targets 2.5 million 4G subscribers by year-end."

Yesterday, Advanced Info Service and True won licenses for the 1800MHz spectrum in the marathon auction hosted by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).

Yesterday, Advanced Info Service and True won licenses for the 1800MHz spectrum in the marathon auction hosted by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).

Yesterday, concerns with telecom stocks’ profitability in light of high auction prices for the two licences put pressure on the Thai stock market. Meanwhile, foreign investors, local institutional investors and securities companies were all net-sellers of Thai shares for the second straight day, reflecting the ongoing pessimism on the investment outlook.

Asia Plus Securities and Tisco Securities viewed that the licenses were too expensive. Asia Plus also recommended investors switch their investment from Dtac and True to Advanced Info Service (Advanc).

While Dtac share price lost 4.46 per cent today as of 11.21am to Bt53.50, Advance gained 2.37 per cent to Bt216. True gained the most, 5.43 per cent to Bt9.70.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Dtac-extends-assurance-to-clients-30272837.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-13

[Mango Bob]

The only winner here is the government now they True and AIS will charge more for services and the Thai people are the losers. How can they not when they paid around 40 billion baht.

[zaphod reborn]

The only winner here is the government now they True and AIS will charge more for services and the Thai people are the losers. How can they not when they paid around 40 billion baht.

If True and AIS raise their rates, maybe a few Thais will reduce their phone usage, or stop wasting their time on LINE and Facebook. Maybe it's not a bad thing after all.

Edited November 13, 2015 by zaphod reborn

[Thai at Heart]

Same thing happened with 3g in the UK. Licenses were too expensive so roll out was very slow and take up low for a long time.

[Arkady]

Same thing happened with 3g in the UK. Licenses were too expensive so roll out was very slow and take up low for a long time.

That is right. The massive prices paid for 3G licences put so much debt on the balance sheets of the winners that they had to reduce planned capital expenditures and roll out the networks slowly. Take up for 3G by consumers turned out to be slower than anticipated anyway.

DTAC is putting a brave face on not getting any 1800 spectrum. The 1800 concession he is talking about investing more in to ensure 4G capacity expires in 2018. They will then be forced to pay through the nose to buy back their own spectrum after that or negotiate with CAT to lease bandwidth on whatever terms CAT demands. They will also be forced bid up for some 900 spectrum next month, possible against Jasmine which seems desperate to enter the industry.