Thailand’s two state telcos are reported to be lobbying influential generals for support for a controversial survival plan in which the two want expiring concessionary spectrum handed over to them for free without having to compete in an auction with the private sector.
TOT Corporation CEO Yongyuth Wattanasin has reportedly met with junta leader General Prayuth Chanocha and other key generals to present his case.
Telecom regulator NBTC has ordered the two state telcos to come up with a restructuring plan to be forwarded to the ruling military junta.
NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasit said that TOT has asked that article 84 of the frequency allocation act be repealed so it can keep AIS concession revenue instead of returning it to the exchequer; that it would like 900-MHz for its use indefinitely or at least for 15 years after the concession ends in 2015; and that it wants use of 2.3-GHz.
TOT currently is the concession holder of AIS which has the entire 900-MHz band to itself. TOT also operates legacy wireless rural broadband systems on most of the 2.3-GHz band.
Takorn said that CAT Telecom wants the 25 MHz of unused (ex-Dtac) spectrum on 1800 transferred to it so it can be used with the concessionary equipment that will be returned (2013 for TrueMove, 2018 for Dtac) arguing that the concessionary equipment would be only worth scrap metal without spectrum.