The board of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) yesterday approved AIS International Network's application for a type-three licence to operate an international gateway.

AIS International Network has Bt1 million in registered capital. If it wins final approval, it will become the first private firm in Thailand to offer such a service in competition with CAT Telecom Plc and TOT Plc.

Weerachai Patcharopaswong, assistant vice president for business relations and development at AIS, said that AIS International Network was expected to launch the service within six months and would be a new choice for consumers.

CAT had exclusively offered the service for years before the information and

communications technology minister permitted TOT to compete with CAT several years ago. The minimum overseas call rate in Thailand at present is around Bt5 per minute.

"There are many international call gateway operators overseas and their competition benefits customers. It will be the same in Thailand," said Weerachai.

AIS International Network is expected to spend around Bt1 billion to roll out the local network to support the service and might lease the CAT facilities for linking with overseas carriers.

True Corp Plc has also applied for an international gateway licence from the NTC.

AIS, Thailand's largest cellular operator, set up three new subsidiaries, including AIS International Network, last year. The other two are AIS Wireless Communications Network and AIS Wire Network, which will apply for NTC licences to operate wireless and wire services respectively. Each company was also capitalised with a token Bt1 million.

Yesterday NTC's board also approved in principle type-one licences for Loxley Plc and Advanced Research to provide Internet access and a Voice Over Internet Protocol services. A type-1-licence is for applicants without their own network.

It also approved a type-two licence for Sky Office, a unit of True Corp Plc, to offer an international Internet gateway service. This licence is for applicants that either own or don't own their own networks.

Telecom Reporters

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