But it was one comment from True CEO Supachai Chearavanont that gave it away. He said that there is 120-MHz of 2600 available.
Band 7 only has 70 MHz of paired spectrum. Band 41 has 194 MHz. Nobody talks about paired spectrum by doubling the numbers. Suddenly all those comments made sense. Obviously True was pushing for band 41 and with its partnership with established band 41 player China Mobile, all the pieces fell into place.
Sigve Brekke said that 2600 was not standard even though Digi and half the Telenor empire uses it. But they use band 7, not 41.
Most of the rest of the industry, myself included, said that 2600 was standard, of course thinking of band 7. In hindsight only Brekke knew what Supachai was thinking and he and his PR team never spelt it out.
MCOT has offered to return 60 MHz of 2600-MHz (2356-2584 MHz and 2592-2608 MHz) in exchange for $309 million (100 million Baht). But looking at what it is offering to return this would mean that Thailand could only go for Chinese-style band 41 TDD LTE as the spectrum on the table simply does not line up to band 7’s FDD spacing unless Pridiyathorn manages to get more soon.
Fragmentation aside (the Public Relations Department has sued the NBTC over another 24 MHz of 2600 it has), is suddenly deciding to lock the country into a Chinese-stye future a good idea especially unders such rushed, haphazard circumstances?
The decision to go for more spectrum for 4G (usually a good idea) was made by deputy Prime Minister Pridiyathorn who said Thailand should use 2300, 2400 and 2600 for 4G, but everyone knows he really meant 2500.