NTC orders AIS to explain its latest promotion
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has asked Advanced Info Service Plc (AIS) to explain its launch of a heavy promotion, which is regarded by the regulator as "likely to violate" its anti-monopoly and fair-competition regulations.
According to a letter sent to AIS this week, the national telecom regulator asked the market leader to clarify the matter urgently with the NTC. The NTC's anti-monopoly and fair-competition regulations define unfair competition as a telecom operator with a market share of more than 25 per cent offering prices below its operating cost in order to seriously affect smaller operators. A recently launched AIS promotional package allows new prepaid users to make calls forBt1 per time during off-peak hours and Bt1 per minute during peak hours. True Corp Plc has asked the NTC to look into the AIS promotion, citing its concern that the package will prompt a price war and jam all networks. AIS vice president for business relations Anant Worathitipong said AIS had yet to receive the letter from the NTC, adding that he thinks the firm has done nothing wrong by offering the attractive call package, as it is "a normal practice in the industry". AIS has more than 17.5 million subscribers, while Total Access Communication (DTAC) and True Move have over 10 million and five million, respectively. Meanwhile, the NTC has sent a letter to TOT Plc and CAT Telecom Plc, which are its major licence holders, asking them to comply with a condition in their licence which requires them to inform the NTC about promotional packages every time they introduce them.
Usanee Mongkolporn The Nation
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