Dtac 'plans soft launch on iphone 3G'
Cellular operator in talks with Apple, says industry source
Total Access Communication (DTAC) plans to softlaunch its 3G mobile broadband service on the world's muchhyped iPhone 3G devices.
A telecomindustry source said DTAC was in talks with Apple on the collaboration.
DTAC executives declined to confirm the report.
DTAC is expected to softlaunch the service in November or early next year. It hopes 3G mobile broadband will, with its fast trans¬mission of content and provision of Internet connectivity, propel it past Advanced Info Service (AIS) to become the Kingdom's leading cel¬lular operator.
Apple has yet to authorise any Thai cellular operator to be serv¬iceprovider for either its iPhone 3G or the normal iPhone.
The source said DTAC had given senior vice president Andrew McBean, former managing direc¬tor of Microsoft (Thailand), the job of treating with Apple on the deal.
Another telecomindustry source said DTAC had informally told the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) that it planned to bring 300 iPhone 3G devices into the Kingdom.
The iPhone 3G supports 3G mobile broadband in three spec¬trum bands - 850MHz, 1900MHz and 2.1GHz.
DTAC will launch 3G on 850MHz. It will spend around Bt5 billion on rolling out the HighSpeed Packet Access 3G net¬work in Bangkok, Phuket and Chon Buri in the first phase.
The NTC is expected to award the licence for the 2.1GHz spectrum next year.
AT&T and Apple launched iPhone 3G in the US in July, both at a retail price of US$199 (Bt6,926) for the 8gigabyte mem¬ory model and $299 for the 16GB model.
AIS has already launched 3G mobile broadband in Chiang Mai on its 900MHz spectrum.
True Move plans to develop 3G on 800MHz.
OTHER BUSINESS
-
Excavator plant to start in 2010
Bangkok Komatsu spent more than Bt1 billion on its second excavator-assembly plant at Bangpakong to serve.... -
Glow building 3 power plants
Glow Energy will proceed with three new power plant projects, despite the drop in quarterly net profit on the....
{literal}
Top Stories
- Businessmen: Samak's return unwanted
- Chiang Mai 3G phone users ask for greater network coverage
- Full Moon loses its charm to tourists
- EU to sign Asean amity, cooperation treaty
- Tourism revenue to take a hit as political woes scare foreigners away
- Thailand ranked 13th in Doing Business 2009 report
- Tax authorities to plug loophole exploited by the rich
- Rift threatens to widen as govt backers plan rallies
- Term to 'be even shorter'
- Mega projects continue as planned
Tel 66-2-338-3000(Call Center), 66-2-338-3333, Fax 66-2-338-3334