• 
• 

Published on February 21, 2008

One of them is the sleek, high-end RAZR V9, which features third-generation (3G) wireless broadband functions.

Peerapol Chatanantavej, product marketing and business-development manager for Motorola (Thailand), said the US parent was interested in when Thailand would issue licences to operate 3G wireless broadband services.

He expects Thailand to show signs of progress in 3G-spectrum licensing in the third quarter.

The National Telecommunications Commission has yet to draw up terms and conditions for 3G-spectrum licensing.

Peerapol said 20 of Motorola's 3G-capable mobile-phone models were already available in Thailand.

Besides the RAZR V9, the company has introduced the W360 mid-level model, which will be followed later this month by the W230 low-cost model. Both target the mass market.

He said consumers demanding mobile phones priced lower than Bt3,000 represented half of the market.

Motorola estimates that about nine million new handsets will be sold in Thailand this year, up from about eight million last year. However, it has not disclosed what percentage of this number it plans to sell.

Motorola Thailand has also introduced two new Bluetooth head-set models - the H375 and the H12 - aimed at capitalising on expected fast growth of the market following implementation this May of a law banning the use of mobile phones while driving.

The company estimates that 300,000 Bluetooth headsets were sold in Thailand last year, but again declined to specify its share.

Sirivish Toomgum

The Nation