Decision on Dtac 3G network

 CAT Telecom chief executive officer Jirayuth Rungsrithong said a decision is near on whether Total Access Communications (DTAC)'s concession allows it to upgrade its existing network to 3G technology.
But it remains unclear whether this is so. DTAC, which operates under a concession from CAT, has been waiting since 2008 for the agency's consent to upgrade its network to 3G-High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) technology to provide commercial 3G-850 MHz service. So far, CAT has granted DTAC permission to do so only on a non-commercial basis.
Jirayuth said CAT would consult again the Office of the Attorney-General on whether DTAC is allowed to upgrade its network, this time with the added request that the Office reply promptly.
CAT first consulted the Office on this matter on April 22. The Office replied on September 12 that it had declined to make a decision on the matter.
The Office reply cited a May resolution by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) that DTAC is entitled under its concession, subject to the telecom law, to apply for an NTC permit to upgrade to HSPA technology. The NTC board therefore permitted DTAC to use radio communications equipment at its 1,200 base stations to facilitate the upgrade, and ruled that it was DTAC's duty to inform CAT of this. It was in accordance with this NTC resolution, the Office said in its reply, that it refrained from issuing an opinion on CAT's request on behalf of DTAC.
After receiving the Office reply last week, Jirayuth told ICT Minister Group Captain Anudith Nakornthap that while the reply "indicates" that DTAC can upgrade the network, CAT would re-submit its request to the Office of the Attorney-General. Jirayuth declined to specify when the request would be re-submitted, however.
CAT has also asked DTAC to clarify whether its current 3G-850 MHz service is offered on a commercial basis. DTAC has yet to reply.
DTAC launched the 3G-HSPA service on 850MHz in Bangkok on August 16, despite being told by CAT to wait for the Office to reply on the matter. The second-largest cellular operator said it had to press ahead with the launch or risk losing premium data customers to Advanced Info Service and Real Move.
Real Move, a subsidiary of True Corp, has launched a 3G-850 MHz service in partnership with CAT.
In January, CAT signed deals with True subsidiaries Real Move and Real Future, paving the way for collaborations to provide 3G-HSPA services. As part of these deals, Real Future will procure HSPA equipment for CAT to provide 3G capacity on a wholesale basis to interested firms. CAT will also wholesale 3G capacity to Real Move, which will provide retail services for 14.5 years.
The Office replied to the ICT Ministry in July that these CAT-True deals are not subject to the 1992 Public-Private Joint Venture Act.
The ministry consulted the Office on the matter after questions were raised about their legitimacy, including whether the deals must be in compliance with the public-private joint venture law.

CAT puts brakes on DTAC 3G

      He added that DTAC's clinching of a permit last month from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to install and use a 3G wireless broadband network did not mean DTAC could go ahead with its stated plan to launch it in August. The cellular operator needs to wait for the Office of the Attorney-General to inform CAT if DTAC can launch 3G commercial services under a CAT concession, he said.
A source from DTAC complained that CAT had kept the firm waiting for more than two years for the nod to launch 3G commercial services. The source added that if the OAG gave DTAC the okay, CAT might try to delay the plan further. CAT has allowed DTAC to launch 3G services on a trial basis.
Advanced Info Service is expected to launch commercial 3G services next week, while CAT soft-launched its own commercial 3G services this week.
On Thursday, DTAC announced that it would commercially launch 3G wireless broadband services in Bangkok in mid-August. The launch will be based on an NTC permit.
DTAC has earmarked Bt1.2 billion for the two-phase network upgrade this year using 1,220 base stations. It has completed the initial upgrade in Bangkok of 400 stations at a cost of Bt350 million. The addition of 800 more sites to cover all of Bangkok and 20 other provinces is expected to be completed this year.
DTAC also plans to increase the number of 3G base stations to 2,000 in 2012, which will cost Bt750 million for an additional 780 base stations in 40 provinces. If its board approves this third phase, it is ex

DTAC: It's not True

A new round in the legal dispute between TrueMove and Total Access Communication (DTAC) has erupted following TrueMove's filing of a complaint yesterday with the Crime Suppression Division against DTAC, alleging that its rival is a foreign-owned entity running a business in Thailand in circumvention of the Foreign Business Act.
The police said they would examine the details and decide whether there were grounds for prosecution.

Norway's Telenor and its local strategic partner DTAC both released statements countering the complaint, affirming that Telenor's ownership in DTAC complies with Thai laws and regulations.
A source at the Business Development Department of the Commerce Ministry, which is responsible for matters concerning the Foreign Business Act, said the department needed time to study details of the complaint. If it were to comment prematurely, it could backfire legally and/or affect related parties, it said.
A telecom industrialist said he hoped the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission would get off the ground soon to grant new spectrum licences and promote genuine and fair competition in the telecoms sector. This would enable the industry to move forward, instead of getting bogged down in legal cases such as this.
A telecom analyst said foreign stock investors might pay less attention to the legal cases than to which of the political parties will form the next government, and more importantly whether the new administration's telecom policy would benefit the whole industry or favour particular telecom operators.