Two Thai telecoms operators whose 2G mobile spectrum will be auctioned off for 4G later this year are to keep their second generation mobile services running for the rest of 2015, the country’s telecoms regulator said this week.
True Move and AIS unit Digital Phone Co (DPC), which operate 2G services under licence from CAT Telecom, were due to close down operations next month. However, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has pushed back the 17 July deadline by six months to ensure continuity of service to the customers still using those networks, the Bangkok Post reported.
"We have to extend the deadline for a second time as we don’t want signals for 2G SIM cards on the two mobile networks cut off after July 17," the paper quoted NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasit as saying.
Thailand plans to auction 1800-MHz and 900-MHz spectrum in November and December with a view to handing over the licences at the start of next year.
Once the licences have been awarded, "signals for 2G SIM cards on the two mobile networks will be cut off immediately," Takorn said.
True Move and DPC operate in the 1800 MHz band. The NBTC is also working on rules that will govern the t ransfer of the 900 MHz band from 2G to 4G, Takorn said. AIS has 2G customers on a 900-MHz network that it operates under licence from TOT. That licence is due to expire in September.
True Move has 700,000 customers using its 1800-MHz network, while DPC has around 1,000, the Bangkok Post said.
