Wireless Federation

CAT Telecom plans to launch 3G services in January 2012 (Thailand)

On 11.29.11, In Mobile, By Editor

CAT Telecom, the state owned telecommunications firm in Thailand, is reportedly planning to launch its 3G services under the brand name ‘My’ by January next year. According to reports, the operator is also planning to present a proposal to its board members, allowing concessionaires to buy back their mobile network before the expiration of the contract.

As per sources, the ministry of Information Communications Technology (ICT) has permitted CAT to draft its network sales plan. Reports reveal that TrueMove, DigitalPhone and DTAC are operating services based on concessions from the state owned operator. TrueMove had reportedly made an offer of US$ 318.4 million for its mobile network, which was considered to be less by CAT.

The concession contracts for TrueMove and DigitalPhone are expected to end in 2013 whereas DTAC’s concession contract expires in 2018, after which they will have to transfer their networks to CAT Telecom as per the build-operate-transfer agreement.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • CAT Telecom • DigitalPhone • DTAC • Thailand • TrueMove

CAT and TOT to delay 3G wireless-broadband service launch due to floods (Bangkok)

On 11.15.11, In Mobile, By Editor

CAT Telecom and TOT have reportedly postponed the launch of their 3G wireless-broadband services in Bangkok due to floods in the country. According to reports, CAT plans to launch its 3G wireless broadband service by next month, under the brand ‘My’, across provinces which have not been affected by the floods.

As per sources, CAT and True Corp group collaborated in order to develop the 3G-High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) service using the 850 MHz spectrum. Reports suggest that BFKT, a subsidiary of True Corp., had installed HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) network equipment for CAT.

Reports reveal that Anont Tubtiang, President, TOT said that the flooding has delayed the state agency’s rollout of its nationwide 3G network in some areas, prompting it to re-evaluate its plan to fully launch the service in 18 provinces this month.

Further, sources claim that TOT has already launched the service in some areas and also offers certain customers access to 3G services on AIS’s (Advanced Info Service) network while roaming outside its coverage area.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • AIS • CAT Telecom • TOT • True Corp

Thailand’s 3G plans may be delayed due to political reasons (Thailand)

On 10.14.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Thailand’s plans to sell 3G licenses for wireless services may be delayed due to politics, as reportedly said by Wichian Mektrakarn, CEO, Advanced Info Service Pcl (AIS), the nation’s largest mobile operator. AIS along with Total Access Communication Pcl and True Corp. Pcl, had started offering limited 3G services earlier in the year.

However, as per reports, Mr. Mektrakarn has said that they would not like to invest more of their resources in the 3G network until the government auctions licenses and sets rules for operating the service. He further stated that he believes there is still some kind of conspiracy or movement to try to stop or delay 3G. He claims that there are still a lot of obstacles and anything can happen in Thailand at this moment. Wichian has reportedly said that the three private operators are counting on mobile internet to spur revenue from users of smartphones such as Apple Inc.’s iPhone and Research In Motion Ltd.’s Blackberry. Data revenue accounts for about 19 percent of Advanced Info’s total turnover.

The share price of all these operators witnessed a decline. While AIS share price fell down by 2.3 percent to US$ 4, Total Access went down 2.7 percent to US$2.29 and True Corp. slid 5.1 percent to US$ 0.09.

As per reports, True Corp., Thailand’s third largest operator plans to build a 3G network by 2013 in a venture with CAT Telecom, the state-owned company that runs Thailand’s international telecommunications infrastructure.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • AIS • CAT Telecom • Thailand • True Corp • Wichian Mektrakarn

CAT selected to provide Wi-Fi to McDonald’s (Thailand)

On 03.30.11, In Mobile, By Editor

CAT Telecom has been selected by fast food outlet McDonald’s to provide Wi-Fi. CAT will provide Wi-Fi services in 134 branches across Thailand.

This partnership is a significant step of the CAT and McDonald’s to provide to people of all ages with a modern lifestyle with CAT WiFi, wireless high-speed internet in 134 branches nationwide. Customers can surf internet and log in e-mail while enjoying with McDonald’s menu, a coffee or bakery items from Mc Cafe.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: CAT Telecom • CAT WiFi • fast food outlet • Mc Cafe • McDonald's • operator • Thailand • Wi-Fi • wireless high-speed internet

DPC seeks LTE testing permission (Thailand)

On 03.15.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Thai mobile operator Advanced Info Service (AIS)’s subsidiary, Digital Phone Company (DPC) has reportedly asked its build-transfer-operate (BTO) concession issuer CAT Telecom for permission to test 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile broadband technology.

According to sources, DPC is planning to test LTE equipment from Huawei, ZTE and Ericsson. Each vendor will require permission from the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) before carrying out the tests, to be applied for in parallel to DPC’s request to CAT.

It is also reported that DPC will set aside as much as 10MHz bandwidth for the 4G trial, out of its total 12.5MHz of allocated 1800MHz spectrum. The test will be run for 90 days on seven or eight base stations in Bangkok.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 4G • Advanced Info Service • AIS • Bangkok • BTO • build-transfer-operate • CAT Telecom • Digital Phone Company • DPC • LTE • Mobile • NTC • Thailand

CAT grants permission to DTAC for commercial 3G service (Thailand)

On 02.17.11, In Mobile, By Editor

CAT Telecom has given approval to DTAC to commercially launch 3G wireless broadband services in mid-March.

Telenor subsidiary DTAC, which offers services via a build-transfer-operate (BTO) concession with CAT, currently provides trial 3G W-CDMA/HSPA-based services in the 850MHz band.

Following two years of complaining that CAT had favored fellow BTO licensee True Move by permitting the latter to expand 3G trial coverage in December 2010 CAT’s board announced that DTAC could upgrade up to 1,220 base stations for pre-commercial 850MHz HSPA, up from an existing 36 sites.

Both this decision and the latest announcement are viewed from some quarters as an attempt to defuse criticism of CAT for January’s hastily arranged 14-year agreement with True Move to jointly market 3G HSPA-based services as part of True’s takeover of the â€˜Hutch’ CDMA business (formed as a joint venture of CAT and Hong Kong’s Hutchison Telecom).

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • CAT Telecom • CDMA • DTAC • EDGE • GPRS • Hong Kong • Hutch • Hutchison Telecom • Mobile • President Jirayuth Roongsrithong • True Move • W-CDMA/HSPA

Thai finance minster defends handling of CAT-True deals

On 02.16.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Thai Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij has defended the fact that CAT Telecom’s 3G wholesale and resale contracts with True were not open for bidding by other parties.

Korn argued that the contracts followed on from an existing project based on a contract that CAT had with Hutchison.

According to reports citing Korn, the contracts are based on the frequency having been granted to CAT long ago. Though True replaced Hutchinson Telecom, CAT still maintains the frequency’s ownership. As the project was based on a contract CAT had with Hutchison, the State Enterprise Policy Office did not ask CAT to make bidding for the open contracts.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • CAT Telecom • finance minister • Hutchison • Korn Chatikavanij • Mobile • State Enterprise Policy Office • Thailand • True

DTAC wants same contract terms as True Move (Thailand)

On 02.09.11, In Mobile, By Editor

DTAC has asked its mobile concession owner CAT Telecom to revises their contracts to bring them in line with the recent contracts with rival True.

True’s mobile unit TrueMove had signed a deal to buy the Hutch mobile business last year and recently entered into a fourteen-year contract with CAT for wholesaling and reselling of services, including 3G.

According to DTAC Chief Executive Tore Johnsen, it is waiting for the response to the letter that DTAC has sent to CAT asking for talks on the True-CAT deals. They want CAT to revise their concessions to similar terms and conditions to those of the True-CAT deal in terms of revenue-sharing and the right of network equipment.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • CAT Telecom • DTAC • DTAC Chief Executive Tore Johnsen • Hutch mobile business • Mobile • Mobile Unit • Thailand • True • TrueMove

CAT’s fibre-optic project approved (Thailand)

On 01.25.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Thailand’s economic ministers have reportedly approved CAT Telecom’s US$90 million investment in a fibre-optic project in the Gulf of Thailand, aimed at supporting the energy sector.

The network will link two submarine fibre optic stations in Songkhla and Chon Buri. With the dense wavelength division multiplex (DWDM) and repeaters to improve the signaling distance, the network can support the transmission of at least 160 gigabytes per second (Gbps). It will mainly support communications between offshore petroleum rigs and onshore factories. The project will take two years for completion.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: CAT Telecom • Chon Buri • dense wavelength division multiplex (DWDM) • economic ministers • fibre-optic project • Gulf • Mobile • Songkhla • Thailand

CAT Telecom to collaborate with True on 3G services (Thailand)

On 01.18.11, In Mobile, By Editor

State-owned CAT Telecom PCL’s board has approved a plan to collaborate with True Corp. PCL to provide 3G mobile phone services, a development that was cheered by investors as it could help resolve the uncertainty hanging over the telecom operator’s future.

The move will allow True to secure its future as its 2G mobile phone concession, granted by CAT Telecom, is due to expire in 2013 while the fate of 3G spectrum licensing remains unclear. The concessions of True’s two bigger rivals, Advanced Info Service PCL and Total Access Communication PCL, are due to expire in 2015 and 2018, respectively.

According to CAT President Jirayut Rungsrithong, CAT’s board on Friday agreed the company will terminate its marketing contract with Hutchison CAT Wireless MultiMedia Co. and will sign a new 14-year contract with True to provide both 2G and 3G services.

As per the contract, expected to be signed in January, True will switch CAT’s existing Code Division Multiple Access network to High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) technology. In return, True will rent CAT’s mobile network and become a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO).

True’s mobile phone unit, True Move, is currently offering 3G mobile-phone services to its clients on a trial basis, using HSPA technology on its existing 850 megahertz frequency in the absence of new spectrum license.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 2G • 3G Services • Advanced Info Service PCL • CAT President Jirayut Rungsrithong • CAT Telecom • CDMA • HSPA • Hutchison CAT Wireless MultiMedia Co. • Mobile • MVNO • Thailand • Total Access Communication PCL • True • True Move