Application for 3G license submitted by Schutzengel Telecom
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in the Philippines has received an application from market newcomer Schutzengel Telecom Inc to get provisional authority to build, install, operate and maintain a national 3G mobile network.
As per the application submitted by Schutzengel Telecom, the company is fully aware and cognizant of the vital need to provide the general public with an adequate, efficient and cost effective means of mobile communications and is open and amenable to operate within any of the frequency bandwidth which is presently available or may be made available for the 3G standard.
With NTC looking to award the country’s fifth and final 3G operating license through a ‘beauty contest’ style process, Schutzengel claims it is ‘legally, technically and financially capable to put up a 3G network’. Besides, it also possesses the requisite financial resources and capability to render the proposed service which shall be sourced from a combination of internally generated funds, supplier’s credit, loans and other forms of financing, and should it be necessary, from equity infusion
Zain, Africell fined USD50, 000 by Sierra Leone’s telecoms regulator
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Lintel SL (Africell SL) and Zain Sierra Leone has been fined USD50, 000 each by Sierra Leone’s telecoms regulator, the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) for violating the Telecommunications Act of 2003.
Both the companies increased the price of their recharge cards without first consulting with NATCOM, which is the only body permitted to approve tariff increases, 30 days after an operator has notified it in writing. Lintel SL and Zain are required to pay the fine by January 18.
Introduction of new Goods and Services Tax (GST) tax on January 1, 2010 made mobile operators increase the cost from SLL1,700 (USD0.43) for 50 units to SLL2,000. This attracted a lot of protests from the consumers and censure from NATCOM, which ordered cellcos to restore prices to previous rates until legal issues were resolved.
Philippines operators implement Six-Second Pulses billing
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Shorter unit billing model for calls between mobiles within the same network has been introduced by the telecom operators in the Philippines. According to the new plan, each minute has 10 six-second pulses and the first two pulses will have a flag down rate of P3 or a total of 12 seconds. This will reduce the cost of calls less than one minute, however, cost of a call per minute would remain P7.50. Cost of 30 second call will be P4.69.
According to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), the new “per pulse” rate would efficiently reflect the real costs of a call. The commission also said that there would be no effect of the scheme on per-minute cost but the costs of the call below one minute will be affected.
The NTC has asked the mobile operators to implement the scheme on December 6 and till December 16; any call made from one network to another would be covered by per-pulse billing. The new rates will be under scrutiny for two to three months.
Three operators have requested the NTC to postpone the implementation of the scheme till January next year as the changes in the billing system will create problems in the holiday season which accompanies increased network traffic.
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
NTC gets green light to issue 3G licences
The Thai National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has been given the green light to issue 3G licences, the Bangkok Post writes. Under the Frequency Management ACT, the NTC had to wait for the establishment of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) because 3G licences are both the NTC’s as the NBC’s approval, since the frequencies also have broadcasting applications. However, the Council of State has said that allocating 3G spectrum is NTC’s responsibility. NTC Chairman Gen Choochart has said that the board is still divided on the scope of the NTC’s authority and wants telecom operators to apply for 3G licences so that the issue can be raised again. The regulator can now allocate frequencies that will be used for telecommunications and the organisation is drawing up a licensing framework.
Source- http://www.telecompaper.com
