AIS Puts Off Bangkok 3G Launch on Permit Delay
By Srisamorn Phoosuphanusorn, Bangkok Post, Thailand
May 22–Advanced Info Service (AIS) says it will have to postpone the commercial launch of its third-generation (3G) mobile broadband services in Bangkok until mid-July as the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is behind schedule in approving equipment imports.
The country’s largest mobile operator earlier planned to introduce 3G commercial service in Bangkok in mid-June after it was launched in Chiang Mai early this month.
AIS has been given approval by the NTC to upgrade 30 base stations to high-speed packet access (HSPA) technology under a 600-million-baht programme.
President Wichian Mektrakarn said AIS was likely to delay services in Bangkok for another month since the the NTC could not approve the equipment imports and relocation of the five 3G base stations from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.
He said the Chiang Mai bases were too large for existing demand. The company planned to introduce an equal number of base stations in Bangkok.
The 30 sites could accommodate 10,000 subscribers, but capacity would be as low as 5,000 if customers use data services simultaneously.
AIS’s 3G service includes video calling, video streaming and full song and music video downloads. It provides a speed of 7.2 megabits per second, about 45 times faster than GPRS and Edge systems.
AIS charges three baht per minute for a video call and one baht for five megabits of downloads.
Mr Wichian admitted that 3G in Chiang Mai was only a trial venture, not a serious rollout due to its limited on bandwidth and the fact that only a handful of handsets are 3G-capable.
“We don’t expect much revenue from 3G now. We just want to raise awareness of 3G in Thailand,” he said. “With our limited bandwidth of only 5 MHz with one carrier, it’s impossible for AIS to provide full broadband services.”
However, he said, AIS planned to introduce 3G in another 20 major cities. Nationwide service would involve a 10-billion-baht budget.
Although 3G on existing networks requires AIS to pay under existing concessions, he said the company needed to act now on 3G rather than do nothing.
Mr Wichian said AIS was on the verge of applying for a 3G licence running on the 2100 MHz band in order to move aggressively into the sector.
Shares of AIS (ADVANC) closed yesterday at 101 baht, up three baht.
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