CAT to move on 3G, but will keep CDMA

CAT should have various cellular services to boost revenues, chairman Satit Limpongpan said yesterday.

Some CAT executives had earlier floated a proposal to the board to abandon high-speed CDMA technology and adopt High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 3G technology instead.

Satit said CAT would permit its private cellular concessionaires - Total Access Communication (DTAC), True Move, and Digital Phone Co (DPC) - to develop HSPA 3G service on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Satit asked management to negotiate with the three firms on 3G business details, including benefit sharing and their business plans.

Once talks with CAT are completed, cellular operators can proceed with their plans.

CAT president Phisal Jorpochaudom said the board would like the talks to be completed by the end of this month.

DTAC, which is the most ready to launch 3G services on its existing 850 MHz spectrum, has yet to get CAT's permission to upgrade its network.

It is still waiting for CAT to allocate 800 MHz spectrum bands to True Move and DPC for the same purpose of developing 3G services.

Private cellular operators in the CAT camp lag behind Advanced Info Service (AIS), which holds a TOT concession, in 3G development.

AIS is set to launch its 3G service in Chiang Mai this month on its existing 900 MHz spectrum.

DTAC hopes to obtain CAT permission to offer 3G in the next few months or it could be left far behind AIS in 3G.