The national telecom regulator's cableTV working committee will early next month submit draft regŽulations for licensing satellite and Internetprotocol television indusŽtries for the watchdog's consideration.
Committee chairman Torpong Selanon yesterday said if the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) approved the draft, it could be put to a public hearing as early as midJuly, with the regulations coming into force at the end of the month.
Earlier, some NTC commissioners said the NTC should wait for the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to draw up the satelliteTV regulations, given that it involved the broadcasting industry.
An 'activity'
But Torpong said the NTC comŽmittee could develop the regulaŽtions on the grounds that satellite TV was an "activity" that did not use the spectra allocated to them by the NTC.
He said the term "using a specŽtrum" referred specifically to using spectra allocated by the NTC.
The full name of the draft is "Regulations for Licensing NonSpectrumUsing and NonSubscription Businesses".
There are 325 satellite channels: 100 provided by satelliteTV staŽtions and the rest by cableTV operators.
In a related matter, Surat Metheekul, chairman of the comŽmunityradio working committee, said the NTC would issue a oneyear licence to five community radio stations soon, with the numŽber reaching 60 by yearend.
The NTC may also issue oneyear cableTV licences soon.
The Broadcasting Act of 2008 empowers the NTC to oversee the communityradio and cableTV industries and grant them a temŽporary licence pending inception of the NBTC.
After the first 300day trial period for the community radio stations to air programming came to an end last month, the NTC extended the period for another 300 days.
The stations must inform the NTC between this Friday and July 28 of their intention to air the proŽgramming during the extended period.
A total of 6,500 community radio stations registered with the NTC to air programming during the first trial period, with 757 of them breaching their terms of agreement. The NTC allows a cerŽtain period to comply with the conditions.
The NTC revoked permission for 14 stations during the trial period, due to serious breaches of the terms.