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Thailand considers tower sharing licences
08 February 2012
Thai regulator NBTC hopes to encourage newer entrants in upcoming licence auction with tower sharing plan
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Thailand
3G
4G
tower sharing
NBTC
auction
spectrum
Thai regulator National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission is considering a new plan to issue what it calls “tower dual-location licences” to network owners to be part of a forthcoming licence auction for 2100 megahertz spectrum.
The proposed plan allows operators to share rights for tower usage, according to the Bangkok Post. If this idea is passed, it would call for a revision in network roaming details.
NBTC’s vice-chairman and telecom subcommittee head, Sethapong Malisuwan, said the move will help ensure newer participants in the 3G auction that would take place by late second quarter or early third quarter of 2012. Sethapong noted that the licences would also allow the introduction of LTE in Thailand, Bangkok Post reports.
He added that the subcommittee plans to restrict the number of permits to three for winning bidders to operate wireless broadband in the 2100 megahertz band, with 15 megahertz bandwidth each. The subcommittee is also considering retaining bandwidth for public services.
The commission will be reconsidering the reserve price for the permits and the number of licences that will be given out. NBTC’s previous incarnation, National Telecommunications Commission, had decided upon a reserve bid price of $413 million. GTB
Further reading from Global Telecoms Business:
Thailand vows faster action towards 4G 02 Feb 2012
Thai operators to work together on LTE trial 12 Jan 2012
Thailand may relax foreign stake rules 18 Nov 2011