MOTOROLA Push for high-speed data services, NATION

xfdws HIGH-SPEED-DATA-SERVICES sked Emerging Markets Datafile

August 07, 2003

NATION

THAILAND

ENGLISH

MOTOROLA: Push for high-speed data services, NATION

Sirivish Toomgum

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Major network provider Motorola (Thailand) will be more aggressive in helping mobile-phone operators improve revenues, the company said yesterday.

Chirdsak Kukiattinun, regional director and general manager of Motorola in Thailand and Indochina, said the company would focus not only on existing solutions but wanted to explore new frontiers with novel products.

He said the company would help telecom operators usher in high-speed data services to improve revenues.

Motorola (Thailand) has targeted a two-fold revenue increase within the next three years. Last year it posted US$450 million (Bt19 billion) in network sales.

Its major customers include TA Orange, Total Access Communication, and Hutchison CAT, whose existing high-speed data-transmission network is from Motorola.

Before joining Motorola, Chirdsak was managing director of Hewlett-Packard (Thailand). He has a long history in the telecom industry.

Chirdsak said the local wireless-network market still had good growth potential, and estimated the number of mobile-phone users would climb from 19 million at present to 36 million within five years.

Among the new products Motorola will launch here is the Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN). The technology will allow users to operate iDEN phones like a walkie-talkie, which can connect to other phones without dialling.

”People can instantly communicate one-to-one or one-to-many at the push of a button. The dual-mode device can also be turned into a normal cell-phone,” said Chawapol Jariyawiroj, the group’s deputy general manager.

The system and devices are currently available in some countries, including the US, and are popular in the transport and construction industries.

Chawapol said the company also planned to launch its “Canopy” product in Thailand, which would allow users to wirelessly blast high-speed Internet access to end-users.

”Its speed is 150-times faster than the dial-up Net access,” he said.

Chirdsak said Motorola also planned to play a bigger role in state projects, including the Information and Communications Technology Ministry’s (ICT) plan to turn Phuket, Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen into electronic hubs.

He said Motorola would help the ministry with the project’s telecom-software development.

Motorola also hoped the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) continued with its plan to install the CDMA 2000 1x network in 22 central provinces, as the group is interested in the project, he said.

The ICT put the plan on hold due to its Bt32-billion cost.

Motorola joined with United Communications Industry to bid for the project but was disqualified after failing to meet some technical requirements.

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