DTAC eyes 3G switch

Wants complete migration by 2016

reach 10 million by this year-end, doubling to 20 million by 2014,’’ said Mr Pakorn. ‘‘We expect to migrate all of our 2G customers by 2016.’’

He said DTAC expects its mobile data revenue to account for 40% of the total by 2015, up from an expected 22% this year thanks to higher broadband speed quality.

DTAC has the capacity to migrate 10,000 customers to 3G per day, rising to 60,000 numbers a day later this year in compliance with the mobile number portability policy of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).

Mobile operators are keen to move their customers from 2G to 2100-MHz 3G networks because they have to share revenue from 2G services with either CAT Telecom or TOT Plc under concession agreements. The 3G services, which are subject to licensing fees with fixed costs, are more profitable for them.

Mr Pakorn said the local cellular mar- ket is already mature. Focusing on customer retention is more important than acquiring new customers.

DTAC earmarked 600 million baht for marketing and promoting its TriNet 3G and Happy brands, out of the total 3-billion-baht marketing budget.

The company is also spending 500 million baht for a customer relations management campaign.

Prathet Tankuranun, a senior vicepresident of DTAC, added the company would have 10,500 3G base stations covering 77 provinces in October, two months ahead of its projection. Of the total, 5,300 bases would be for the 2100-MHz network, with the remaining 5,200 stations on the 850-MHz band.

DTAC increased its network investment to 14.5 billion baht this year, said Mr Prathet.

Shares of DTAC closed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 119 baht yesterday, down five baht, in trade worth 578 million baht.