Thailand postpones new 3G license auction | News | Rapid TV News
Thailand postpones new 3G license auction | News | Rapid TV News
Thailand’s telecommunications regulator is postponing 20 September's 3G licence auction following confusion in the courts over its legal authority to allocate wireless spectrum.
In response, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has pledged his government will speed up drafting a new bill in an attempt to establish the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to oversee the matter.
The Supreme Administrative Court has instructed the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) that the Constitution Court must rule on its authority, or a new regulatory body – the NBTC – must be formed before the auction can begin.
The NBTC should be established, as prescribed under the 2007 Constitution, according to the Central Administrative Court. The NTC, however, has appealed the matter, saying it does have the legal authority to offer the 2.1 gigahertz frequency, and cited the detrimental effects on Thailand’s social and economic development if 3G bidding is not allowed.
The stock of Advanced Info Service (AIS), DTAC and True Move - the three companies involved in the bidding - dropped on Friday after the court ruling was announced.
This proposed 3G auction is not the first. CAT Telecom and TOT Pel (formerly the Telephone Organisation of Thailand) have already been allocated 3G frequencies by the NTC.
“3G is much more than [a] mobile phone service,” said Col Natee, NTC Commissioner told the Thai News Agency. The NTC gives importance on [a] broadband internet service which will speed up the country’s development and the NTC has prepared the 3G bidding process for over four years as the existing network is not sufficient.”
Col Natee said Thailand’s current internet accessibility is only two per cent. However, by 2014, once the 3G network is rolled out, 80 per cent of the country will have internet access.
The NBTC Bill has already passed readings in both the House of Representatives and the Upper House of Parliament, before being revised by the Joint Parliamentary Committee. It will now be brought for consideration by parliament again.
Thailand’s telecommunications regulator is postponing 20 September's 3G licence auction following confusion in the courts over its legal authority to allocate wireless spectrum.
In response, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has pledged his government will speed up drafting a new bill in an attempt to establish the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to oversee the matter.
The Supreme Administrative Court has instructed the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) that the Constitution Court must rule on its authority, or a new regulatory body – the NBTC – must be formed before the auction can begin.
The NBTC should be established, as prescribed under the 2007 Constitution, according to the Central Administrative Court. The NTC, however, has appealed the matter, saying it does have the legal authority to offer the 2.1 gigahertz frequency, and cited the detrimental effects on Thailand’s social and economic development if 3G bidding is not allowed.
The stock of Advanced Info Service (AIS), DTAC and True Move - the three companies involved in the bidding - dropped on Friday after the court ruling was announced.
This proposed 3G auction is not the first. CAT Telecom and TOT Pel (formerly the Telephone Organisation of Thailand) have already been allocated 3G frequencies by the NTC.
“3G is much more than [a] mobile phone service,” said Col Natee, NTC Commissioner told the Thai News Agency. The NTC gives importance on [a] broadband internet service which will speed up the country’s development and the NTC has prepared the 3G bidding process for over four years as the existing network is not sufficient.”
Col Natee said Thailand’s current internet accessibility is only two per cent. However, by 2014, once the 3G network is rolled out, 80 per cent of the country will have internet access.
The NBTC Bill has already passed readings in both the House of Representatives and the Upper House of Parliament, before being revised by the Joint Parliamentary Committee. It will now be brought for consideration by parliament again.
