Panel to study True's 2G extension request
The telecom committee of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission yesterday considered a recent request by True Corp for an extension of its second-generation cellular service on the 1,800-megahertz spectrum.
As a result, the NBTC decided that a way solve the issue was to oblige True Move H Universal Communication (TUC), a subsidiary of True Corp, to deliver two bank guarantees for the second and third instalments of the 4G-1,800MHz licence it recently won in an auction.
The telecom committee will notify True Corp that TUC should give the NBTC the two bank guarantees and pick up the licence next week. Takorn Tantasith, NBTC’s secretary-general, said that if TUC receives the licence next week, the company could promptly start operating a service on the 1800 MHz spectrum to replace the expired True Move 2G service.
Earlier, the NBTC ordered a cut-off of the 2G service on 1,800MHz after midnight on November 25, but True Move retained its 2G service for a claimed 43,000 customers.
The True Move concession expired in 2013, but the telecom committee later permitted it to continue provide the service to customers until the winning bidders of the 1,800MHz auction obtained their licences.
Advanced Wireless Network, a subsidiary of Advanced Info Service, acquired its 4G-1,800MHz licence on Wednesday. TUC paid the first instalment of Bt19.896 billion on the same day, but did not provide bank guarantees for the remaining instalments.
TUC previously informed the NBTC that it was waiting for an auspicious time to deliver the bank guarantees and get the licence.
The telecom committee yesterday did not make any decision on whether True Move was violating the order on the 2G cut-off date.
Before it makes the decision, the committee has asked the NBTC to verify what effects a further extension would have. In addition, True Move has been asked to clarify the actual number of customers using 2G on 1,800MHz.
