Five Thai operators to implement MNP before 3G auction
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Five mobile operators of Thailand might be banned by the Thai communications regulator from applying for 3G spectrum licenses if they fail to implement mobile number portability (MNP) in time.
Revision of 2.1 GHz licensing conditions is also considered by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to allow the regulator to ban the operators from bidding in the auction.
The five operators include Advanced Info Service (AIS), Total Access Communication (DTAC), TrueMove, TOT and CAT Telecom and they have been asked to implement MNP services before August.
The operators on the other hand have agreed to implement the system before August but they have seeked three more months as the system will need testing before being launched commercially.
TOT launches 3G network in Thailand
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The launch of 3G network by Thailand’s state-controlled mobile network TOT got a cold response from the subscribers. However, initially the network will be available only in Bangkok and the areas surrounding it. Expansion of the network in the near future relies on the auction of the 3G license.
National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) will offer four licenses- three of 10 Mhz and a fourth with 15Mhz of radio spectrum while the reserve price will range between US$100-US$200 million. The process will not take place until next year as there is a lack of executives to form a quorum.
Small trials of 3G networks are already run by the current operators over their existing GSM radio spectrum, while CAT Telecom which is a CDMA operator, is seeking an overseas investor to assist in 3G rollout plans
CAT gets nod to purchase Hutchison-CAT’s cellular businesses.
The board of CAT Telecom has given the green light to sign a memorandum of understanding with Hutchison Telecom on CAT’s plan to buy four Thai cellular and related businesses from the Hong Kong telecom operator. Hutchison-CAT is a 75:25 joint venture of Hutchison Telecom and CAT.
The board has assigned CAT CEO, Jirayuth Rungsrithong to sign the MOU before the end of this week.
CAT will buy BFKT, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hutchison Telecom. CAT also plans to buy assets of Hutchison Telecom in the joint venture – its call centre and content businesses.
The CAT board also approved the plan to hire Allen & Overy for legal advisory services, Bualuang Securities for financial advisory services and Chulalongkorn University’s Chula Unisearch for HR advisory services.
CAT will transfer under itself a combined 1,000 employees of the four businesses it plans to buy.
Hutchison Telecom had invested about Bt30 billion in the CDMA business since Hutchison-CAT’s service debut in 2003.
Interestingly also, Krisda said CAT was concerned about a clause in the draft law governing the creation of the new broadcasting and telecom regulator in Thailand. The clause mandates that if CAT were to list shares in the stock exchange, it will have to either pay half of its revenue to the state or return to the state the spectrum it granted to private concessions.
CAT plans 3G tests in October
Bangkok Post via NewsEdge) CAT Telecom plans a soft launch of its 3G service starting October in 10 provinces on a three-month trial basis with Hutch.
The planned launch follows the partial delivery of more than 1,500 base stations by the Chinese equipment supplier Huawei Technologies to CAT Telecom.
Huawei Technologies was awarded the 7.2-billion-baht contract to build a cdma2000 1X EV-DO network set to cover 51 provinces.
The telecommunications network is the largest in Southeast Asia and serves around 4 million subscribers.
According to CAT Telecom deputy president Phisal Jorphochaudom, the soft launch of the high-speed data communications and multimedia services would take three months. If it proved successful, the commercial launch would follow in late January 2007.
The three-month trial period would enable CAT Telecom to assess the behavior of users and to work out a marketing plan for the first quarter of next year, Jorphochaudom said.
During the trial period, Hutch subscribers would also be able to use their handsets in the 10 provinces, including Phuket, Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok, and Khon Kaen, due to an initial roaming agreement between CAT Telecom and Hutch.
Source- http://www.telecomasia.net
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