NTC might delay 3G licensing plan
The national telecom regulator might have to delay further the determining of third-generation (3G) licensing policy amid concerns about its possible legal impact.
The regulator's board has yet to conclude if it could proceed with preparing licensing regulations for the new spectra, including the 3G licence, said Suranan Wongvithayakamjorn, secretary-general of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), after a board meeting The Council of State has told the NTC that although it might be able to draft a licensing plan, the plan should not involve broadcasting spectra. Suranan said the NTC board would convene to discuss the matter again soon. A board source said the NTC was concerned about the possible legal impact once the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) was set up and questioned why the regulations included spectra. The 3G spectrum enables operators to offer a wide range of premium services, including live video broadcasts and high-speed Internet access. These services allow operators to make more money from customers. The NTC recently consulted the Council of State to determine whether it could draw up a national frequency-allocation table and award new spectrum licences without waiting for the NBC to be set up. The state agency replied that the NTC "might be able" to refer to the frequency table of the International Telecommunication Union as a guideline for managing the telecom and broadcasting industries. Under telecom law, both the NTC and the NBC must jointly create the national frequency-allocation table. But last November, the Central Administrative Court nullified the process of selecting 14 candidates for the NBC seats, citing the unconstitutionality of the process, setting the stage for a new selection process. The NTC source said the board would ask its office to conduct a study to see whether there was a demand for 3G services in Thailand. "We can see that most people use their phones for voice service, while the existing 2.5G cellular technology has not yet proved to be popular. Moreover, if Thailand has to invest in the 3G technology and network, the country will lose about Bt100 billion worth of foreign exchange," he said. He said the NTC should consider carefully whether the need to invest in 3G technology was being driven by the real demand of consumers or the desire of network suppliers. Usanee Mongkolporn The Nation
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