NTC promises to award 3G licences soon

The national telecom regulator will do what it can to award third-generation (3G) licences as soon as possible as a measure to create investment and boost the flagging economy.

National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) member Sethaporn Cusripituck yesterday said allocation would lead to huge investment and job creation.

He was addressing the NTC's third public hearing on draft 3G licensing guidelines. The final hearing will take place in Phuket early next month.

The NTC is expected to grant licences in the 2.1-gogahertz spectrum about the middle of next year, so that telecom operators can provide 3G mobile broadband services. The fees will swell state coffers.

TOT has announced it will pour Bt29 billion into rolling out its 3G network nationwide for lease to telecom operators.

The now-defunct Frequency Allocation Committee gave 3G jointly to TOT and CAT. Now TOT is in the process of taking it over.

Total Access Communication has set aside a budget of Bt5 billion to build a 3G network in Bangkok, Chon Buri and Phuket on 850 megahertz, while Advanced Info Service has earmarked Bt6 billion for a nationwide roll-out on 900MHz.

All of the cellular operators also need the 2.1GHz spectrum to offer 3G-complementing services on their existing spectra.

NTC member Sudharma Yoonaidharma said telecoms and energy were among the few sectors to have withstood the effects of the declining economy in the past two years.