Leasing plan for 3G backed
Total Access Communication (DTAC) has voiced its support for TOT's plan to become the sole wholesale provider of the third-generation (3G) broadband wireless network, because it would save on investment costs for the country.
DTAC chief executive Sigve Brekke yesterday said Thailand should not have many 3G cellular operators. Instead, all cellular operators interested in investing in a 3G network and services should lease it from TOT instead. "They should lease from TOT to offer retail services," he added. TOT spokesman Vuthiphong Priebjrivat said TOT might not be able to stand alone in investing in an expensive 3G network but would instead have to join with the private telecom operators. TOT plans to roll out its 3G network and lease it to telecom operators. Its cellular joint venture, Thai Mobile, is the only company that owns the 1900MHz band, a standard platform for developing 3G services. The National Telecommuni-cations Commission has yet to award a 3G frequency licence to any telecom operator but said the licensing regulations should be ready this year. The new 3G technology enables telecom operators to deliver high-speed bandwidth-hungry content like video-streaming to 3G mobile phones.
Usanee Mongkolporn The Nation
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