Telecom executives say that next year will be a chaotic time for the industry, with many uncertainties, conditions that they say are unfair, and looming legal challenges.
These stem from the absence of the 3G-2.1GHz spectrum licences, the effect of the new frequency allocation law, which kicked started the formation of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission NBTC, and the unsolved cases of the allegedly unlawful concession amendments.
In effect, Thailand failed to witness huge investment on 3G infrastructure, estimated to value between Bt50 billion to Bt100 billion over a three-year course. The Kingdom is now pinning its hopes on better broadband services from state-owned agencies – CAT Telecom and TOT – which are busily building up their capacity on existing spectrum bands.
via Chaos and uncertainty lie ahead in 2011.
With 3G granted to state monopoly, private companies will now have to approach TOT and CAT if they want to take part in this new, lucrative market, without clear and transparent rules
The long-delayed 3G service license auction has made Thailand among the last countries in Southeast Asia to fully deploy advanced wireless technology. The process has repeatedly been delayed due mainly to the absence of an independent body to regulate broadcasting frequencies, as well as changes in state administrations.
1 comment
Yes, indeed. This is yet another sublime non-transparent Thai-style compromise in the making. Everybody is busy trying to decide who’s going to get the big payout from this thing. Well, now that Taksin is out of the picture (well, at least everybody thinks he is), who will rise to the challenge? I’m getting a mental picture now of these companies trying to fight back with their lawsuits. I can see thousands of skilled Thailand lawyers just lining up to get a piece of the action for these warring companies. But what about saving some face too? Laos and even Cambodia now have 3G networks. Come on Prathet Thai! Hurry it up a little will ya!? It’s almost as slow as that BTS extension project in Bangkok and the current broadband internet connections nationwide!