CAT Telecom to expand CDMA

The expansion will focus on providing mobile-phone broadband service in upcountry areas not accessible by fixed-line broadband, said board spokesman Pongsapat Pongcharoen. The board approved the investment last Friday.

Of the amount, Bt220 million will be used to triple the company's data-transmission speed 3 megabits per second and increase its network capacity to serve 500,000 data users. The rest will go for network-coverage expansion, said president Phisal Jorphochaudom.

CAT's CDMA service has 40,000 voice and data users. The network has boosted its capacity to offer high-speed Internet.

CAT has yet to reach a final agreement with its joint venture, Hutchison-CAT Wireless Multimedia, on a possible collaboration of their separate CDMA networks.

Hutch is a 75:25 joint venture between Hong Kong's telecom giant Hutchison Telecom and CAT. It has provided CDMA cellular service via the network in 25 provinces under a CAT contract.

Meanwhile, CAT's board approved a plan to start CAT's three-year rebranding programme in the third quarter. Senior executive vice president Marut Buranasetkul said CAT would invest Bt800 million on the programme, of which Bt80 million would be spent this year on public relations.

Another Bt6.6 million has already been spent on creating a new corporate logo. About Bt400 million has been earmarked for setting up 105 service shops this year.

CAT will also consolidate its e-commerce operations into its data-communications business and reduce its core businesses to only three areas: data communications, international calls and CDMA.