Regulator says no more 3G trials

Suranan Wongvithaya-kamjorn, secretary-general of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), said yesterday that the board had not granted the requests from Advanced Info Service (AIS), Total Access Communication (DTAC), True Move and Ericsson.

He added that it was too late to conduct trials as the NTC had already started the hearing process of its draft regulations for the licensing of the 2.1GHz spectra. Licences are expected to be awarded in the middle of next year.

The three cellular operators want to try providing the service while waiting for the NTC's 2.1GHz licences.

AIS, DTAC and True Move plan to spend about Bt6 billion, Bt5 billion and almost Bt2 billion respectively on building 3G networks nationwide to provide the service, using their existing spectra.

DTAC yesterday launched an Internet SIM card priced at Bt69, aiming to make people familiar with the use of data service before it launches the 3G service later this year or next year.

Card users can access DTAC's high-speed data transmission network for 40 hours for a monthly fee of Bt149.

TOT also plans to develop the 3G service for the huge

cost of Bt29 billion. The service is mainly aimed at attracting

its existing 5 million fixed-line telephone service subscribers to migrate to 3G services.