CAT, DTAC to discuss 4G wireless broadband partnership

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CAT, DTAC to discuss 4G wireless broadband partnership
USANEE MONGKOLPORN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- CAT TELECOM will talk with Total Access Communication (DTAC) this week about a possible priority partnership to develop a 4G wireless broadband service on the state agency's idle 20MHz bandwidth of 1800MHz.

The move follows the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission's recent approval for CAT to upgrade the use of its idle bandwidth to provide a 4G wireless broadband service.

The committee also told CAT to talk with DTAC to decide which of them would be responsible for the upgrade.

CAT is keen to become the first-choice potential partner of the telecoms firm that failed to clinch 1800MHz spectrum licences from the NBTC auction last week.

CAT holds 50MHz of 1800MHz, of which it granted half to DTAC and 5MHz to the NBTC for the auction.

The state agency can use the remaining idle band until 2018, the same time DTAC's concession expires.

CAT is seeking support from the government in a bid to keep the idle bandwidth beyond 2018.

DTAC reportedly requested NBTC permission to use this idle band, citing that it has fully utilised its existing 25MHz of 1800MHz.

Colonel Sanpachai Huvanandana, acting president of CAT, said it would be a cost saving for CAT to join with DTAC to invest in a 4G service on the idle bandwith, given DTAC is also investing in 4G on its existing 1800MHz band under CAT's concession.

He added that CAT was also eager to wholesale the bandwidth of the idle band to any interested parties.

CAT will not demand that they commit to purchasing a huge bandwidth from it, he said, adding that they could purchase any amount they wanted.

He admitted that CAT was interested in wooing Jasmine International to be its 4G partner.

Jasmine subsidiary, Jas Mobile Broadband, and DTAC TriNet failed to clinch a 1800MHz licence last week. Both companies will join Advanced Wireless Network (AWN) of Advanced Info Service and True Move H Universal Communication of True Corp in bidding for the 900MHz licences on December 15.

AWN and True Move H Universal secured the 4G-1800MHz licences at the auction last week, with their combined bids amounting to Bt80.778 billion. The amount will be transferred to the state coffers.

CAT claimed that high bids reflected its attempt to bring benefit to the country.

CAT handed 5MHz of its 1800MHz to NBTC for the auction. The move enabled NBTC to auction a total 30MHz bandwidth, instead of the originally planned 25MHz.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/CAT-DTAC-to-discuss-4G-wireless-broadband-partners-30272990.html

-- The Nation 2015-11-16

[torpedo1970]

4G ??

Can they please deliver the promised 3G service...... That is proper 3G I am talking about.

After being back in Europe on visit and off course having 3G service on my phone, thing where "flying" , but when back in the kingdom of Thailand the mobile have stopped and things are moving like 2G at the most....

but they are experts to charge for 3G that they don't deliver

[phiber]

Torpedo1970, where are you getting 2g speeds on dtac?

[Pib]

Generally on a nation-wide basis they can't deliver the promises/hype of the 3G service so let's forget about that, move on, and now make 4G service promises/hype. Heck, even over here in western Bangkok it's not uncommon to only get a E/Edge connection speed or only a couple Mb of speed on 3G.