TOT Plc is talking with US Yahoo and Yahoo Japan about collaborating in the broadband Internet business. President Teerawit Charuwat said last week that TOT was also interested in tying up with UK-based global telecom BT.

Adit Harinasuta, TOT's chief marketing officer, said the talks with Yahoo and its joint venture with Softbank of Japan were part of the plan to enhance its operations.

"We're exploring the partnership possibility with both Yahoos, which have expertise in broadband and content as well as IPTV [Internet Protocol television] and voice-over-IP [VoIP] services," he said.

The format could be a joint venture or a strategic partnership, he said.

TOT will launch its VoIP service either in the next quarter or in the third quarter and is considering wholesaling its broadband Internet service as one strategy to bring in more revenue.

The state enterprise's businesses range from broadband Internet to cellular and fixed-line telephone services.

Adit said TOT hoped to triple its broadband Internet subscriber base by year end from the present 100,000.

TOT offers high-speed Internet access via its fixed-line broadband network and broadband satellite iPSTAR.

TOT is also in talks with another global telecom player, Vodafone, on a possible partnership deal

for its Thai Mobile cellular operator.

Thai Mobile is seeking the partnership to co-establish a broadband cellular 3G service as well as to lease the 3G network out to other service providers.

TOT has budgeted about Bt10 billion for Thai Mobile to roll out the 3G network in major areas within the next couple of years. Around Bt6 billion will be spent in the first year.

TOT has been actively seeking foreign partners since seeing

foreign telecom investors coming in to pair up with some of its competitors.

It is also sharpening its marketing prowess by holding a monthly "marketing forum" for staff at all levels to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of its marketing operations and those of its competitors.

Adit, who has played a key role in the marketing forum initiative, said the first meeting had been this month.

Usanee Mongkolporn

The Nation