True receives 2G extension

The national t elecom regulator has extended True Move’s service period for its existing second-generation (2G) mobile customers until the company gets a new 4G licence.

Under the customer retention regulation, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) had to cut off the mobile signals of the existing 43,000 users of True Move’s 2G mobile network on Wednesday midnight.

“After a meeting yesterday, we will allow True Move to oversee its 2G customers until it obtains a 4G licence to protect consumer benefits,” said Col Settapong Malisuwan, chairman of the NBTC’s telecom committee.

True Move submitted a proposal to the NBTC on Wednesday, asking for an extended period of time for the company to continue retaining its 2G customers to ensure there would be no service disruption.

However, Col Settapong said True Move must cut off signals of its existing 2G users once the company obtains a licence to provide 4G service on the 1800-MHz spectrum, after it won the auction on Nov 11.

True Move and Digital Phone Co, a subsidiary of mobile leader Advanced Info Service, operated 2G service on the 1800-MHz spectrum under a concession agreement with CAT Telecom, which expired in 2013.

The NBTC ordered the two operators to continue retaining their 2G customers until 2014, when the regulator planned to sell two licences on the 1800-MHz spectrum.

However, the National Council for Peace and Order ordered the NBTC to postpone the planned 1800-MHz auctions for another year.

The NBTC, therefore, had to extend another period for customer retention, and the last deadline was due on Wednesday midnight.

Col Settapong said the telecom committee had assigned its regulatory department to deal with legal issues pertaining to the extension of the deadline.

NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said he could not determine whether True Move would have to pay a fee for violating the current customer retention regulations.

True Move H Universal Communication won the first licence on the 1800-MHz to provide 4G service, while Advanced Wireless Network (AWN) of AIS won the second licence.

AWN paid the NBTC the first half of the bidding amount and obtained a 4G licence on Wednesday. True Move H Universal Communication on Wednesday paid the first half of the bidding amount, but has not yet provided two bank guarantees for the second half payment.