222 replies to this topic
Posted 2012-05-08 08:52:00
CIMB report on DTAC: http://www.cimbsecur...DTAC-040512.pdf
Downgraded from Outperform to Neutral.
Some good detail including the 3G roll-out, "CEO also said that the company would allocate a majority portion of its THB8bn-9bn capex budget in FY12 to roll out another 3,000 3G/850MHz cell
sites (5,000 cell sites in total) throughout this year. This would increase DTAC’s 3G coverage to up to 50-60% population coverage."
which would seem to indicate they have 2,000 3G base-stations currently.
They were profitable, as were AIS. Haven't seen True's mobile numbers from Q1 (expected May 22) yet but they typically lose money every year/quarter.
Edited by lomatopo, 2012-05-08 08:57:53.
Posted 2012-05-08 11:18:25
Here is an example of a poor baseband modem on DTAC (Same location as my previous speedtests):
(and a cell mast map for DTAC in/around Siam Square)
Posted 2012-05-08 13:12:29
An interesting article which the True believers will find fault with...The author is a real thorn in the side of the incompetent vested interests at True.
http://www.telecomas...ying-regulators
Don Sambandaraksa
More DTAC bullying by regulators
January 26, 2012
There is a difference between running a telco business and regulating a telco industry, an analogy being the difference between a football team manger and a referee. However, it is a difference that Thailand’s new regulator seems to have missed in all the announcements last week. In a move that can only be described as micro-managing the players, regulator the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has threatened DTAC with repercussions up to revocation of DTAC’s concession if quality of service continues to slip. The warning was motivated by the operator's repeated network crashes over the last month and a half. It has also ordered a halt in database migration until further notice.
Apparently, the NBTC did not buy in to DTAC’s explanation that the network outages were caused by unbelievably bad luck - a car crash severing one fibre line followed by a bush fire taking out the redundant link within the space of three minutes being the cause of its latest network crash. Newspapers were out for blood. “DTAC suffers mass exodus due to network outages,” one leading English newspaper’s headline went. Another Thai daily ran the headline, “DTAC unable to answer to network crashes.”
Only, the so-called mass exodus amounted to 3,000 of its 23 million users leaving the network in December up from the usual 1,000 a month. That works out at 0.01%. Put another way, DTAC may have suffered network problems, but 99.99% of its users decided not to jump ship in December. The public relations onslaught against DTAC was spoon-fed to the media by one of the new NBTC commissioners who also in the same week announced a price cap on significant players. AIS and DTAC, with a market share of 43% and 30% respectively, will soon be faced with a 0.99 baht per minute maximum price cap for voice calls. Third placed TrueMove escapes it for now and the same regulator is considering whether to treat TrueMove and TrueMove H as one entity or two in its calculations.
The silver lining is that despite the hiccups, despite the war, both of words and bullets, that has been waged against it, users are sticking to DTAC because of the network quality. AIS’ 3G network is a mess due to lack of planning and equipment from every vendor under the sun, TrueMove might have raw speed, but it does not seem to understand the need for low-latency connections and its over-aggressive use of transparent proxies make you wonder if you are connected to the internet or a ghost of the internet at times, while TOT still thinks that indoor and out of Bangkok coverage is optional now into its third year of operations.
Edited by lomatopo, 2012-05-08 13:13:00.
Posted 2012-05-08 13:18:43
Quote It has also ordered a halt in database migration until further notice.
I'm wondering if this all above has any relation to DTAC's inability to activate new prepaid service for me the other day....
Re the 1 baht per minute price cap on DTAC and AIS, when I signed up for a prepaid smartphone SIM with True Move H the other day, the standard plan the staff there offered me, and I accepted, supposedly was 1 baht per minute for calls...
BTW, I haven't seen any evidence that the supposed 1 baht per minute cap on voice calls via DTAC and AIS networks has been implemented as yet. In looking at the DTAC website and service plans the other day, they had the usual range of multiple plans and promotions with pricing all over the place.
Edited by TallGuyJohninBKK, 2012-05-08 13:21:51.
Posted 2012-05-08 13:23:06
This recent report has a lot of detail re: the upcoming 3G auction: (starts on page 5)
http://portal.settra..._05_03_e_th.pdf
Positive message from NBTC
Following our recent visit with Colonel Settapong, a member of the National Broadcasting and Telecom Commission (NBTC) and chairman
of the telecom committee, we reiterate our view that the auction on 3G licenses on 2.1GHz spectrum should be the real deal this time and
should take place in October. This is not a surprise to us and the market since the share prices of cellular companies have skyrocketed
almost 50% over the past nine months. Therefore, we maintain our Neutral weighting on the sector. However, one positive message from
NBTC that we believe the market has not fully factored into the share prices is the potential revision to the foreign dominance rule.
According to NBTC, the committee is revising the foreign dominance rule to be more relaxed than the previous version. Definitely,
Advanced Info Service (ADVA.BK/ADVANC TB)* and Total Access Communication (DTAC.BK/DTAC TB)* would be the key beneficiaries
of a less stringent rule. However, if we look at the performances of their share prices, DTAC’s share price has underperformed ADVANC’s
due to concerns on this issue. With the potential of a less stringent foreign dominance rule and the 3G licensing, we reiterate our
Outperform rating on DTAC with a target price of Bt100.00.
We reiterate our Neutral weighting on the ICT sector, since the share prices of telecom stocks have surged over the past six months
and significantly outperformed SET. The benefits of 3G licensing seem to already be reflected in the share prices. The high dividend
yields are still the attraction for investing in the telecom sector in Thailand. DTAC is the only stock that we rate Outperform for the
sector. The company offers a high dividend yield and it will be the prime beneficiary of the upcoming 3G licensing, but the share price
does not appear to fully factor in these benefits
Posted 2012-05-08 21:41:47
 lomatopo, on 2012-05-08 07:54:32, said:
Do you really have three thousand baht pre-paid credit on your Happy SIM? Or is it 300 baht? In case you were unaware you would lose that if porting to another service provider. I honestly can't see any reason for carrying a balance that high.
Yes, a long story but I was given some top up cards for free, and had to use them all before expiry date so I got 3000THB of credit.
I found out something today I didn't know about my HAPPY Internet Plan. The plan only allows a maximum 384kbps download speed as part of FAIR USAGE based on its price which is cheap 20hrs/month access for 99THB which I've had since before 3G started! When I enabled 3G using the *3000# activate message DTAC never thought to tell me what the FAIR USAGE plan was for 3G - and actually I was surfing at 4-6mbps download back in February this yr so thought nothing of it.
I got this information from DTAC today by email from them. I have now asked for what FAIR USAGE PLANS are available that allow 3G/H speeds.I need something cheaper end or pay as you go since I am not always in country to use it every month. Not sure what options are as DTAC hasn't responded yet.
Edited by Digitalbanana, 2012-05-08 21:43:14.
Posted 2012-05-09 00:14:14
lomatopo, on 2012-05-08 13:12:29, said: An interesting article which the True believers will find fault with...The author is a real thorn in the side of the incompetent vested interests at True.
http://www.telecomas...ying-regulators
Don Sambandaraksa
More DTAC bullying by regulators
January 26, 2012
There is a difference between running a telco business and regulating a telco industry, an analogy being the difference between a football team manger and a referee. However, it is a difference that Thailand’s new regulator seems to have missed in all the announcements last week. In a move that can only be described as micro-managing the players, regulator the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has threatened DTAC with repercussions up to revocation of DTAC’s concession if quality of service continues to slip. The warning was motivated by the operator's repeated network crashes over the last month and a half. It has also ordered a halt in database migration until further notice.
Apparently, the NBTC did not buy in to DTAC’s explanation that the network outages were caused by unbelievably bad luck - a car crash severing one fibre line followed by a bush fire taking out the redundant link within the space of three minutes being the cause of its latest network crash. Newspapers were out for blood. “DTAC suffers mass exodus due to network outages,” one leading English newspaper’s headline went. Another Thai daily ran the headline, “DTAC unable to answer to network crashes.”
Only, the so-called mass exodus amounted to 3,000 of its 23 million users leaving the network in December up from the usual 1,000 a month. That works out at 0.01%. Put another way, DTAC may have suffered network problems, but 99.99% of its users decided not to jump ship in December. The public relations onslaught against DTAC was spoon-fed to the media by one of the new NBTC commissioners who also in the same week announced a price cap on significant players. AIS and DTAC, with a market share of 43% and 30% respectively, will soon be faced with a 0.99 baht per minute maximum price cap for voice calls. Third placed TrueMove escapes it for now and the same regulator is considering whether to treat TrueMove and TrueMove H as one entity or two in its calculations.
The silver lining is that despite the hiccups, despite the war, both of words and bullets, that has been waged against it, users are sticking to DTAC because of the network quality. AIS’ 3G network is a mess due to lack of planning and equipment from every vendor under the sun, TrueMove might have raw speed, but it does not seem to understand the need for low-latency connections and its over-aggressive use of transparent proxies make you wonder if you are connected to the internet or a ghost of the internet at times, while TOT still thinks that indoor and out of Bangkok coverage is optional now into its third year of operations.
Written by Eddie, or did DTAC pay someone this time ?
Posted 2012-05-09 07:35:05
TallGuyJohninBKK, on 2012-05-08 13:18:43, said:
I'm wondering if this all above has any relation to DTAC's inability to activate new prepaid service for me the other day....
Re the 1 baht per minute price cap on DTAC and AIS, when I signed up for a prepaid smartphone SIM with True Move H the other day, the standard plan the staff there offered me, and I accepted, supposedly was 1 baht per minute for calls...
BTW, I haven't seen any evidence that the supposed 1 baht per minute cap on voice calls via DTAC and AIS networks has been implemented as yet. In looking at the DTAC website and service plans the other day, they had the usual range of multiple plans and promotions with pricing all over the place.
If you will note the article is old, and it was the NBTC who "ordered" the halt in database migration; I assume DTAC did not do this? BTW, I tried to buy a pre-paid TueMove H SIM at the flashy True shop in Siam Paragon yesterday and was turned away. I did buy a DTAC/Happy pre-paid SIM (49 baht) at a counter shop in MBK and successfully activated it and added value.
The "price cap" should actually be referred to as a "price floor", meaning that DTAC and AIS are prevented from offering "standard" plans with voice calls at less than 1 baht/min, but of course TrueMove - /H is not. 
Digitalbanana, on 2012-05-08 21:41:47, said:
Yes, a long story but I was given some top up cards for free, and had to use them all before expiry date so I got 3000THB of credit.
I found out something today I didn't know about my HAPPY Internet Plan. The plan only allows a maximum 384kbps download speed as part of FAIR USAGE based on its price which is cheap 20hrs/month access for 99THB which I've had since before 3G started! When I enabled 3G using the *3000# activate message DTAC never thought to tell me what the FAIR USAGE plan was for 3G - and actually I was surfing at 4-6mbps download back in February this yr so thought nothing of it.
I got this information from DTAC today by email from them. I have now asked for what FAIR USAGE PLANS are available that allow 3G/H speeds.I need something cheaper end or pay as you go since I am not always in country to use it every month. Not sure what options are as DTAC hasn't responded yet.
You should look into a daily or weekly plan, both which DTAC/Happy offer. Of course your choice of a time-based plan now explains your speed results; I am pretty sure all Happy pre-paid Internet time-based plans are capped at 384 Kbps, for obvious reasons. The fair-use policies are in place at almost all service providers, and TrueMove H actually caps some plans at a paltry 64 Kbps! Glad we finally got to the bottom of your "issue".
http://www.happy.co....mid=368&lang=en
edited to add: As far as I can determine TrueMove H does not offer any time-based 3G packages. TrueMove does have some time-based packages but you do not want to use TrueMove as they are closing down their "trial" 3G network. AIS/One-2-Call does have some time-based 3G packages but they are of course capped at 384 Kbps, which is what you'd expect.
skippybangkok, on 2012-05-09 00:14:14, said:
Written by Eddie, or did DTAC pay someone this time ?
The author is Don Sambandaraksa. I suspect he knows a bit more about the local telecomms scene than you? Or those imbeciles at TrueMove.
Edited by lomatopo, 2012-05-09 07:48:36.
Posted 2012-05-09 09:36:44
Quote
Analyst Report on True
UOB - A good quarter ahead- Strong iPhone sales - True Mobile Group has captured the lion's share of iPhone sales and is far ahead of AIS and DTAC.
Obviously the leader in 3G........ expect more "govt" (aka AIS lobby ) investigations into the CAT-True deal to try to slow things down
Posted 2012-05-09 09:44:58
skippybangkok, on 2012-05-09 09:36:44, said:
Quote
Analyst Report on True
UOB - A good quarter ahead- Strong iPhone sales - True Mobile Group has captured the lion's share of iPhone sales and is far ahead of AIS and DTAC.
Obviously the leader in 3G........ expect more "govt" (aka AIS lobby ) investigations into the CAT-True deal to try to slow things down
Good to see TrueMove is good at something other than providing mobile telephony and data service! Not sure their core business is selling hardware, but when you offer up to 50% off then one would expect them to move a lot of units. (Yes, locking customers in for two years, and getting them to pre-pay for the most expensive plan for 8 months was quite brilliant.)
Everyone knows the CAT-True deal(s) were "shady"; nothing is really illegal here.
I still find it amazing that True is still not paying CAT any concession fees for 3G! Now wonder CAT is considering dropping TrueMove H as a reseller.
Is that last quote attributable to you?
Posted 2012-05-09 09:46:50
lomatopo, on 2012-05-09 07:35:05, said:
The author is Don Sambandaraksa. I suspect he knows a bit more about the local telecomms scene than you? Or those imbeciles at TrueMove.
I suspect so, but that would mean your miles behind both of us. Non of the claims you have made so far have any underlying facts, and in most countries including Thailand, it would be considered slander.
Having an internet connection and re-posting other peoples write ups does not make you a critic
Edited by skippybangkok, 2012-05-09 09:47:14.
Posted 2012-05-09 09:52:47
lomatopo, on 2012-05-09 09:44:58, said:
Everyone knows the CAT-True deal(s) were "shady"; nothing is really illegal here.
Obviously only you. State your evidence / facts......... as usual, just slander and ka-waffle. Dare you to state the "facts" which would stand up in court.
lomatopo, on 2012-05-09 09:44:58, said:
I still find it amazing that True is still not paying CAT any concession fees for 3G! Now wonder CAT is considering dropping TrueMove H as a reseller.
LOL....... you show your ignorance, you dont even understand the deal. Did Hutch pay " concession fees "?........... Absolutely not, it was not a concession , rather a JV which required cabinet approval.
Just stick to re-posting other peoples stuff, at least it makes you look like an expert.
Edited by skippybangkok, 2012-05-09 09:53:18.
Posted 2012-05-09 10:18:47
skippybangkok, on 2012-05-09 09:46:50, said:
I suspect so, but that would mean your miles behind both of us. Non of the claims you have made so far have any underlying facts, and in most countries including Thailand, it would be considered slander.
Having an internet connection and re-posting other peoples write ups does not make you a critic
I do not present myself as a critic, merely an observer. Posting other people's write-ups, as you have done, is hardly unique to forums like this where the goal is sharing of information.
I do not make any claims, rather I make observations and share opinions. As far as I know we are not required to support all observations and opinions with "facts". Clearly you drop all sorts of ideas, observations, opinions without any sort of apparent expertise or "facts". By the way, that is fine.
I am not familiar with slander laws here but your implication that the CEO of DTAC paid for an article to be written would appear to be more slanderous as it identifies an individual and accuses him of a misdeed?
skippybangkok, on 2012-05-09 09:52:47, said:
Obviously only you. State your evidence / facts......... as usual, just slander and ka-waffle. Dare you to state the "facts" which would stand up in court.
LOL....... you show your ignorance, you dont even understand the deal. Did Hutch pay " concession fees "?........... Absolutely not, it was not a concession , rather a JV which required cabinet approval.
Just stick to re-posting other peoples stuff, at least it makes you look like an expert.
Since when is this forum operating under the rules of a "court"? 
And what the heck is a "ka-waffle"? Or a "doll-up" for that matter? (I'm thinking you meant "kerfuffle"? And maybe dollop?, neither of which were used in even the remotely applicable context.)
Dare me? What is this 3rd grade (Prathom Som for you)? I double-dare you? 
Anyway, I am glad something makes me look like an "expert".
Clearly you have a strong emotional attachment to TrueMove H, perhaps it is even more than that? In any event, you should maybe just step back, take a deep breath, try to relax and not take things so personally. Unless the moderators tell me I have violated the rules I will feel comfortable to re-posting articles, offering critical commentary and even winding you up, all without any "facts", or "expertise".
Posted 2012-05-09 10:24:57
Loma, re your answer to me above...
About news article you posted and its reference to a price cap of 1 baht per minute for AIS and DTAC, needless to say, there's a night and day difference between the article's reference to a CAP and your subsequent correcting reference to a price FLOOR, meaning lower limit.
If your description is the correct one, then the wording in the article -- will soon be faced with a 0.99 baht per minute maximum price cap for voice calls -- seems horribly incorrect. More Thailand journalism at its finest...
As for buying SIMs, yes, I also went first to the fancy True shop up on the 3rd or 4th floor of Paragon where they also have their True Coffee cafe and Internet stations, and they said I couldn't buy SIMs there, and directed me to the 3rd floor Digital Gateway True Move shop across the street, where as I said, they were selling True SIMs like crazy.
Edited by TallGuyJohninBKK, 2012-05-09 10:28:36.
Posted 2012-05-09 10:43:17
TallGuyJohninBKK, on 2012-05-09 10:24:57, said:
Loma, re your answer to me above...
About news article you posted and its reference to a price cap of 1 baht per minute for AIS and DTAC, needless to say, there's a night and day difference between the article's reference to a CAP and your subsequent correcting reference to a price FLOOR, meaning lower limit.
If your description is the correct one, then the wording in the article -- will soon be faced with a 0.99 baht per minute maximum price cap for voice calls -- seems horribly incorrect. More Thailand journalism at its finest...
As for buying SIMs, yes, I also went first to the fancy True shop up on the 3rd or 4th floor of Paragon where they also have their True Coffee cafe and Internet stations, and they said I couldn't buy SIMs there, and directed me to the 3rd floor Digital Gateway True Move shop across the street, where as I said, they were selling True SIMs like crazy.
Actually, upon re-reading I have definitely misinterpreted the article. I think I understand the implication being that the pro-TrueMove member of the NBTC has somehow proposed or perhaps implemented a price cap on both AIS and DTAC, so that that most they can charge is 1 baht/minute. Obviously this limits the numbers and type of packages they can offer, puts some revenue pressure on them, and since it was not applied to TrueMove, gives them a competitive advantage. Not sure when this needs to be implemented by, but hopefully the NBTC will give AIS and DTAC some time? My current Happy plan is 0.99 baht/min all networks, all the time.
Apologies, from the "expert".
BTW, I did try to buy a TrueMove H pre-paid SIM at the gigantic True shop in Seacon and was turned away. 
re-posting of articles follows:
http://www.nationmul...e-30175839.html
Bt0.99/min price cap for average or every minute? Management anticipates that the NBTC's planned Bt0.99/min price cap will apply to an average minute, not for each minute, so won't have much impact on ADVANC, as its current average charge/minute is Bt0.7-0.8/min. The NBTC said it wanted flexible rather than fixed tariff pricing.
New Regulations that Bite (CIMB report April 12, 2012)
While still a Neutral, the sector has turned less attractive after the NBTC imposed the price cap and said it intends to cut the MTR by half. Still, we refrain from downgrading due to: 1) strong domestic consumption, and 2) the regulator’s poor enforcement track record. Our top pick is DTAC.
What Happened
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) issued the mobile price cap regulation on 3 Apr. It also expressed a strong intention to lower the mobile termination rate (MTR) to THB0.5 per minute from THB1. The price cap regulation limits the ceiling rate for mobile voice calls to THB0.99 per minute, applicable to every single minute of a call. Only AIS and DTAC are required to comply with this rule given that they are Significant Market Power (SMP) operators. The NBTC expects True Move to negotiate the THB1 MTR with AIS and DTAC. If the talks fail, current regulations allow the NBTC to impose an interim MTR of THB0.5 per minute.
Posted 2012-05-09 11:17:25
Quote The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) issued the mobile price cap regulation on 3 Apr. It also expressed a strong intention to lower the mobile termination rate (MTR) to THB0.5 per minute from THB1. The price cap regulation limits the ceiling rate for mobile voice calls to THB0.99 per minute, applicable to every single minute of a call. Only AIS and DTAC are required to comply with this rule given that they are Significant Market Power (SMP) operators.
OK, so now we're back to something that's in line with the version of the original article that you posted... Thanks for clarifying and correcting your earlier post.
I must say though, it still seems a bit confusing. The first quote you included above appears to be talking about an AVERAGE pricing cap on minutes...while the subsequent CIMB report you posted/quoted pretty clearly seems to be talking about an actual PER MINUTE pricing cap.
As I mentioned/posted above, when I was looking at the DTAC web site and their various pricing plans the other day, they seemed to be all over the board... And I didn't have the impression in reviewing those that they were in keeping with an actual per minute pricing cap of 1 baht.
Also, the CIMB report you quoted above talks about the pricing reg being issued on April 3. But it didn't appear to make any mention of when the supposed implementation date would be for that requirement.
Edited by TallGuyJohninBKK, 2012-05-09 11:19:10.
Posted 2012-05-09 23:10:26
Winding me up.. Lol... Don't flatter yourself. You just make your self look stupid to those who know the industry by posting garbage with no supporting facts. ( I mean your own posts, re- posted articles look of course more credible )
Posted 2012-05-14 16:32:51
CAT men to face NACC over 3G deal with True
Sirivish Toomgum
The Nation May 9, 2012 1:00 am
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) will on May 28 call in some CAT Telecom officials involved in that state agency's 3G deals with True Corp to inform them that they may have broken the law. An NACC subcommittee concluded yesterday that some laws and regulations had possibly been breached in connection with the deals. But the subcommittee declined to disclose the names of possible offenders.
Methee Klongkaew, chairman of the NACC subcommittee in charge of the probe into the deals, said they may have breached the 1992 Public-Private Joint Venture Act, the 2010 Frequency Allocation Law, and Article 157 of the Criminal Code.
http://www.nationmul...e-30181550.html
Posted 2012-05-14 16:34:29
Ex-CAT CEO in firing line of corruption probe
May 09, 2012
telecomasia.net
Earlier, CAT announced that it was refusing to invest in a joint number portability company to increase capacity beyond the token 2,500 numbers a day to stop TrueMove H (3G) porting numbers from TrueMove (2G).
This was viewed as a move by current CAT management to distance itself from the True deal and stop revenue erosion as 30% revenue share subscribers are shifted to the cheaper 3G model.
To date, all the investigations have been focused on CAT and in particular former CAT CEO Jirayuth Roongsrithong and no allegations have been levelled at True. True’s CEO Supachai Chearavanont has expressed his confidence many times to the media and so far it is business as usual at the operator.
Posted 2012-05-15 08:58:42
http://www.telecompa...ructure-sharing
NBTC introduces draft regulation on infrastructure sharing
Monday 14 May 2012 | 20:17 CET | News
The Thai National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has come up with a new draft regulation which states that telecommunications infrastructure must be shared throughout the system, reports the Bangkok Post. The new rule will have both voluntary and compulsory features for infrastructure owners, essentially TOT and CAT Telecom. Authorities will give owners of key infrastructure such as mobile towers and fibre-optic networks preferential pricing on their licence fees if they decide to comply voluntarily. Either way, the regulation will require infrastructure owners to allow access and use by other parties. NBTC's telecommunication committee chairman Settapong Malisuwan said the rule will encourage both TOT and CAT Telecom to share their infrastructure networks with both existing and new telecommunication operators. One condition of the licence to act as a telecommunication facilitator is that licence holders must waive their right to bid for new frequency allocations and may rent infrastructure only to type-3 telecommunication operators. NBTC rules stipulate type-3 operators are those that provide service without having their own networks. Malisuwan said the draft is scheduled to be submitted to the NBTC's 2,100 MHz auction committee for approval on 15 May. He added that the NBTC plans to hold a public consultation on the draft this month and that the regulation will take effect in July. One incentive for telecommunication facilitators is that the annual fees charged by the NBTC will be lower than before. The NBTC has urged both TOT and CAT to hold talks with their concession holders about network cooperation before the expiry of their contracts. TOT and Advanced Info Service are already in talks about collaborating after the latter's concession expires in 2015. Malisuwan said the infrastructure sharing regulations will benefit the auction of 3G and 4G mobile licences, as tower cooperation licences will enable mobile operators roll out services quickly. He said the framework will help encourage new players to participate in the 3G licence auction due to take place by September.
Posted 2012-05-15 09:06:04
TOT ordered to draw up new 3G plan
Usanee Mongkolporn
The Nation May 15, 2012 1:00 am
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Minister Anudith Nakornthap yesterday ordered TOT Corp to revise its 3G business plan in an effort to halt its financial losses.
At a hastily arranged meeting, Anudith told TOT's board to submit a new plan within four days to a committee of the State Enterprise Policy Office. The committee is scheduled to meet on FridayMay...
http://www.nationmul...n-30181969.html
TOT has so far installed only 2,000 3G base stations. It hopes to launch a nationwide 3G commercial service from 5,200 base stations next month. The state also plans 3G co-site network deals with private mobile operators for more than 1,000 base stations. It currently has nearly 200,000 3G subscribers, 140,000 of the total came from the five MVNOs and the remaining 60,000 from its own subscriber base. The minister said TOT needs to talk with its concessionaire Advanced Info Service to find a resolution on the mobile network purchase before the private operator's concession expires in 2015.
TOT initially targeted 2.5 million subscribers this month. Its 3G revenue was 14 times lower than originally planned.
The parent also faces pressure from a law requiring it and its sister agency, CAT Telecom, to repatriate all concession-related revenue and services related to frequencies to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission after the law has been in effect for three years. This condition means that from Dec 20, 2013, TOT will no longer be able to book concession revenue in its financial statement. This will have a massive impact on TOT, considering the 19 billion baht in concession revenue paid by Advanced Info Service last year.
Edited by lomatopo, 2012-05-15 09:08:01.
Posted 2012-05-16 20:42:43
3G auction to offer nine 5MHz slots
Sirivish Toomgum
The Nation May 16, 2012 1:00 am
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC)'s 2.1-gigahertz spectrum management subcommittee yesterday finalised the 3G spectrum licence auction method, dividing the spectrum into nine slots, each containing 5 megahertz of bandwidth.
Settapong Malisuwan, chairman of the NBTC telecom committee, said yesterday the subcommittee has decided to cap the total bandwidth available to each bidder at 20MHz. The NBTC owns a total of 45MHz of bandwidth on the 2.1GHz spectrum.
The NBTC will auction the spectrum using the simultaneous ascending bid method, which allows participants to bid for all spectrum lots at the same time. Bidders can continue to place higher bids until the auction ends. Many countries use this simple method.
Cash-rich bidders are expected to be able to afford to grab the maximum 20MHz bandwidth.
http://www.nationmul...s-30182089.html
Posted 2012-05-25 08:43:24
CAT union asks board to approve 3G-service funding
USANEE MONGKOLPORN
THE NATION May 25, 2012 1:00 am
CAT Telecom's labour union has urged the state agency's board to approve a Bt7.83-billion budget for the state agency to continue its My brand third-generation cellular broadband service, which is expected to be CAT's main source of revenue in future. The union made the request to the board yesterday. Information and Communica-tions Technology Minister Anudith Nakornthap will meet with CAT's board of directors today to discuss problems related to the agency's 3G business.
CAT has pinned its hopes on My becoming its main revenue stream. The state agency submitted to the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) a budget request of Bt12 billion to invest in related infrastructure and marketing activities. Of the total budget, CAT plans to spend Bt7.83 billion on further developing the My service. However, the NESDB declined to approve the budget, recommending that CAT submit the budget request to the Cabinet first.
The union believes that the board has the authority to approve the Bt7.83-billion budget, and should do so to prevent damage |to CAT.
According to the union, the lack of a budget for the My service would cause damage to the state agency by, among other things, leaving it unable to procure SIM cards and 3G mobile phones to woo new customers, making it impossible for it to meet its revenue target.
The My service has about 50,000 customers.
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