The ICT Ministry oversees the state telecom agencies, while the Finance Ministry owns their shares. The National Telecommu-nications Commission (NTC) said in the letter that since TOT was under the ministries' supervision, they should consider doing something to protect the interests of telecom consumers.

TOT has declined to integrate 1.5 million new mobile-phone numbers each for Total Access Communication (DTAC) and True Move into its network on the grounds that they did not pay the company its access charge.

A telecom needs all other operators to translate its new numbers into their switching systems, so that the numbers can be recognised by their networks. TOT's refusal to register DTAC and True Move's new numbers means calls from other networks cannot reach the new numbers if they are relayed through TOT's network.

All telecom operators connect with one another via links through TOT and their own direct links.

The access charge is what the private cellular firms operating on concessions from CAT Telecom, such as DTAC and True Move, have paid to TOT for connecting to other networks via its facilities. DTAC and True Move both say they want to pay only the NTC-prescribed interconnection charge, which mandates that all telecom operators share voice revenues between the two networks involved in a call.

TOT has also forbidden DTAC and True Move from adopting the interconnection regime.

The NTC has already ordered TOT to accept the two cellular operators' additional numbers next Wednesday or face possible punishment in the form of a fine or loss of its telecom licence. The NTC will meet with TOT tomorrow to listen to its explanation for not accepting additional phone numbers from the two companies.

A recent resolution by TOT's board said the company should seek an order from the Central Administrative Court terminating the NTC's interconnection regulations, which have been adopted by all major cellular operators.

Usanee Mongkolporn

The Nation