To reinforce its position as Thailand’s most innovative service provider, TrueMove today officially launched QR Code technology in Thailand in collaboration with Mediaseek, Japan’s leading QR Code company. This new innovation will pave the way towards 3G services in the future and give customers a new experience in accessing content and services. With TrueMove’s “Fun Living Lifestyle” concept, Thai consumers can now easily access content via camera phones such as music downloads or watch TV and receive special privileges. The QR Code opens a new era of exciting Interactive marketing campaigns and unique promotions. Learn more about QR Code and TrueMove 3G and get a chance to win an iPhone 3G S by visiting www.truemove.com/3G from December 15, 2009 – January 15, 2010. Consumers can now experience QR Code and download the free QR Code Reader application onto their camera phones by visiting http://m.truelife.com
The QR Code (also known as a matrix code) is a two-dimensional bar code that a mobile phone equipped with special software can read using its camera, a process called mobile tagging. Information embedded in the QR code such as a URL can then launch the mobile phone’s browser, establishing a hardlink to any location on the Internet. By simply taking a photo of a QR Code on a poster, advertisement, display or practically anywhere, TrueMove customers can automatically access related content over the Internet via their mobile phones without having to type the necessary details or the URL.
According to Mr. Piroon Paireepairit, Director, Multimedia Services Content & Marketing, True Corporation Plc., “Our company’s exclusive collaboration with Mediaseek brings one of the most popular and trendy mobile phone applications in Japan to the Thai market. TrueMove, Thailand’s leading communications innovator, is delighted to offer Thai consumers the opportunity join the QR Code revolution under the concept of ‘Fun Living Lifestyle.’ They will be able to access content such as news updates and music downloads as well as watch TV or music videos and receive special privileges easily by using their camera phones to scan QR Codes from marketing materials such as posters, leaflets and point-of-purchase displays. TrueMove has already started using QR Codes to promote its 3G trial service, and customers will enjoy an increasing number of special benefits as we integrate QR Codes into a variety of other lifestyle applications.”
“Mediaseek is a fully-integrated IT solution provider company, and our QR Code reader software holds the number one share in the Japanese mobile phone market,” said Mr. Naoki Nishio, President & CEO of Mediaseek Inc. “We have exclusive rights for the “i-nigma” service, which is based on the most widely-used mobile barcode reader in Japan and has been redesigned for overseas mobile phone handsets. We are pleased to partner with TrueMove to offer our breakthrough QR Code technology to Thai consumers.”
Developed in Japan, QR Codes are very popular among Japanese mobile phone users for marketing campaigns, recording data such as addresses or providing information for almost any other purpose. QR Codes can also activate SMS for response messages, offering a new level of interactive mobile marketing. QR Code reader software can run on all major mobile phone platforms.
To experience using QR Codes, TrueMove customers can download the free reader software onto their camera phones by visiting http://m.truelife.com and participate in the special marketing campaign to win an iPhone 3G S at www.truemove.com/3G from December 15, 2009 – January 15, 2010.
QR Code® is registered trademarks of Denso Wave Incorporated in Japan and other countries.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
TeliaSonera and Huawei Launch World’s Fastest Commercial Mobile Broadband Network with Huawei’s 4G/LTE Solutions
TeliaSonera and Huawei Launch World’s Fastest Commercial Mobile Broadband Network with Huawei’s 4G/LTE Solutions
Huawei, a leader in providing next-generation telecommunications network solutions for operators around the world, and TeliaSonera, the largest telecoms operator in Scandinavia and the Baltic countries, today jointly announced the deployment of the world’s first LTE commercial network in Oslo, Norway. These 4G services offer maximum speeds of up to 100 Mb/s and are approximately 10 times faster than existing 3G networks.
TeliaSonera’s customers will be the first in the world to enjoy simultaneous mobile broadband services such as high definition (HD) video conferencing in mobile environments and a variety of HD video programs via multiple terminal devices; applications that cannot be realized in current 3G networks.
Mr. Kenneth Karlberg, President and Head of Mobility Services TeliaSonera, said: “We are very proud to be the first operator in the world to offer our customers 4G services. Thanks to the successful cooperation with Huawei, we can offer 4G to our customers in Oslo earlier than originally planned.”
As a leading provider of end-to-end 4G/LTE solutions, Huawei delivered both network infrastructures and services to TeliaSonera, such as access network, core network, operation support system, and network planning and optimization. Its field proven fourth-generation base stations and SAE (System Architecture Evolution) solution ensure the stability of the network and enable fast deployment.
Yu Chengdong, President of Huawei Europe, said: “In partnership with TeliaSonera, Huawei began this journey eleven months ago to introduce the world’s most advanced mobile broadband technology to the residents of Oslo. This milestone, which was achieved in a short period of time, reflects Huawei’s unwavering commitment towards accelerating the commercialization of LTE/SAE solutions. Operators such as TeliaSonera, are now able to to fully realize economic benefits from the many new applications that can only be made possible with ultra broadband services.”
To date, Huawei has constructed over 25 LTE commercial and trial networks and has made more than 3,300 LTE/SAE contributions to 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project).
About Huawei
Huawei is a leader in providing next generation telecommunications networks, and now serves 36 of the world’s top 50 operators, along with over one billion users worldwide. The company is committed to providing innovative and customized products, services and solutions to create long-term value and growth potential for its customers.
Huawei, a leader in providing next-generation telecommunications network solutions for operators around the world, and TeliaSonera, the largest telecoms operator in Scandinavia and the Baltic countries, today jointly announced the deployment of the world’s first LTE commercial network in Oslo, Norway. These 4G services offer maximum speeds of up to 100 Mb/s and are approximately 10 times faster than existing 3G networks.
TeliaSonera’s customers will be the first in the world to enjoy simultaneous mobile broadband services such as high definition (HD) video conferencing in mobile environments and a variety of HD video programs via multiple terminal devices; applications that cannot be realized in current 3G networks.
Mr. Kenneth Karlberg, President and Head of Mobility Services TeliaSonera, said: “We are very proud to be the first operator in the world to offer our customers 4G services. Thanks to the successful cooperation with Huawei, we can offer 4G to our customers in Oslo earlier than originally planned.”
As a leading provider of end-to-end 4G/LTE solutions, Huawei delivered both network infrastructures and services to TeliaSonera, such as access network, core network, operation support system, and network planning and optimization. Its field proven fourth-generation base stations and SAE (System Architecture Evolution) solution ensure the stability of the network and enable fast deployment.
Yu Chengdong, President of Huawei Europe, said: “In partnership with TeliaSonera, Huawei began this journey eleven months ago to introduce the world’s most advanced mobile broadband technology to the residents of Oslo. This milestone, which was achieved in a short period of time, reflects Huawei’s unwavering commitment towards accelerating the commercialization of LTE/SAE solutions. Operators such as TeliaSonera, are now able to to fully realize economic benefits from the many new applications that can only be made possible with ultra broadband services.”
To date, Huawei has constructed over 25 LTE commercial and trial networks and has made more than 3,300 LTE/SAE contributions to 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project).
About Huawei
Huawei is a leader in providing next generation telecommunications networks, and now serves 36 of the world’s top 50 operators, along with over one billion users worldwide. The company is committed to providing innovative and customized products, services and solutions to create long-term value and growth potential for its customers.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Huawei to Commercially Launch 56Mb/s HSPA+ Solution in 2010
The latest solution enables download speeds of up to 56Mb/s through software upgrades alone
Huawei, a leader in providing next-generation telecommunications network solutions for operators around the world, today announced its plans to launch a 56Mb/s HSPA+ (High Speed Packet Access Plus) commercial solution in 2010. Huawei’s latest solution will enable operators to offer download speeds that are double what is available today.
The 56Mb/s HSPA+ solution, featuring multi-carrier and MIMO (multiple-input-multiple-output) technologies, was successfully demonstrated in Beijing this week at P&T/Wireless & Networks Comm China 2009.
“Advances in mobile broadband, particularly record breaking data speeds and capacity of HSPA networks, have had a profound impact on the telecom industry and demonstrate the enormous potential of UMTS/HSPA,” said Wan Biao, President of Wireless, Huawei. “This 56Mb/s HSPA+ solution will enable operators to maintain their industry leading positions and provide consumers with an evermore attractive mobile broadband experience.”
This industry-leading solution allows operators currently using Huawei’s fourth generation and 38xx series base stations to smoothly evolve their legacy networks to 56Mb/s HSPA+ networks via software upgrades alone, and deploy leading edge networks at significant cost savings that ultimately protect their long term investment.
As a leading provider of end-to-end mobile broadband solutions, Huawei has deployed over 10 commercial HSPA+ network contracts, as of August 2009. In Asia Pacific, Huawei has deployed a commercial 28Mb/s HSPA+ network, and, along with leading operators including Japan EMOBILE, Singapore StarHub, Vodafone Turkey and Hong Kong PCCW, Huawei has launched five commercial HSPA+ networks which support downlink speeds of up to 21Mb/s.
Huawei, a leader in providing next-generation telecommunications network solutions for operators around the world, today announced its plans to launch a 56Mb/s HSPA+ (High Speed Packet Access Plus) commercial solution in 2010. Huawei’s latest solution will enable operators to offer download speeds that are double what is available today.
The 56Mb/s HSPA+ solution, featuring multi-carrier and MIMO (multiple-input-multiple-output) technologies, was successfully demonstrated in Beijing this week at P&T/Wireless & Networks Comm China 2009.
“Advances in mobile broadband, particularly record breaking data speeds and capacity of HSPA networks, have had a profound impact on the telecom industry and demonstrate the enormous potential of UMTS/HSPA,” said Wan Biao, President of Wireless, Huawei. “This 56Mb/s HSPA+ solution will enable operators to maintain their industry leading positions and provide consumers with an evermore attractive mobile broadband experience.”
This industry-leading solution allows operators currently using Huawei’s fourth generation and 38xx series base stations to smoothly evolve their legacy networks to 56Mb/s HSPA+ networks via software upgrades alone, and deploy leading edge networks at significant cost savings that ultimately protect their long term investment.
As a leading provider of end-to-end mobile broadband solutions, Huawei has deployed over 10 commercial HSPA+ network contracts, as of August 2009. In Asia Pacific, Huawei has deployed a commercial 28Mb/s HSPA+ network, and, along with leading operators including Japan EMOBILE, Singapore StarHub, Vodafone Turkey and Hong Kong PCCW, Huawei has launched five commercial HSPA+ networks which support downlink speeds of up to 21Mb/s.
Hitachi Data Systems Kickstarts Virtual Conference on Cloud Technologies
Opportunity to win exciting prizes through ‘Sharing Cloud Innovation’ video competition launched in conjunction with virtual conference
Hitachi Data Systems Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT) and the only provider of Services Oriented Storage Solutions, launched a state-of-the-art virtual conference to drive awareness and education on their cloud strategy. This announcement comes on the heels of the recent launch of new agile cloud solution that combines best-in-class technologies from Hitachi Data Systems.
Addressing the challenge of ever-growing unstructured data, the virtual conference— accessed through www.hds.com/go/virtual-show—is an initiative that highlights the integrated, yet open, storage technologies evolving in cloud computing today. These technologies span a variety of workloads to support the diverse user applications. The conference demonstrates the effectiveness of the Hitachi Content Platform (HCP) that provides essential security, reliability and multitenancy for cloud infrastructures. The technologies enable companies to adopt cloud services at their own pace.
The virtual conference will be operational for a period of four months starting from now. It takes visitors through a series on information pit-stops that acquaint them with Hitachi Data Systems technologies associated with cloud and HCP. Comprising interactive presentations by experts at Hitachi Data Systems, product demonstrations, and case studies, the virtual conference addresses the synergies of both cloud computing and HCP in achieving integration of storage management, lowering cost of ownership and increasing operational simplicity.
“Cloud computing - a natural progression from virtualization technology - is emerging as a key strategy for driving IT transformation in 2010. End-to-end server and storage virtualization and management, coupled with file and content services are going to be key enablers for a comprehensive cloud strategy,” said Ravi Rajendran, Vice President and General Manager for ASEAN, Hitachi Data Systems. “By leveraging Hitachi Data Systems’ Agile Cloud Portfolio, we are able to guide customers and service providers toward a public or private cloud environment that is cost-effective, scalable and secure.”
A novel social media campaign titled ‘Sharing Cloud Innovation’ is being launched in conjunction with the conference. Targeted at Facebook users, ‘Sharing Cloud Innovation’ is a video competition for individuals to submit a one-minute video highlighting their portrayal of cloud computing in an innovative and inspiring way. The winning video will be selected on the basis of both its popularity and judges’ discretion. Facebook users can ask their friends to press ‘Like’ to the posted videos on the Hitachi Data Systems ‘Sharing Cloud Innovation’ Facebook webpage. The creator of the most “Liked’ Video coupled with the judges’ decision will win two return air tickets to Tokyo, Japan. The video competition will run on Facebook from now until end of January 2010.
“Cloud computing offers a viable alternative to traditional long term approaches to compute capacity consumption and investment. Most cloud methodologies are not in tune with heterogeneous infrastructures of enterprises. The results are poorly utilized data silos, a situation that organizations tried to avoid in the first place. Our focus is on enabling a dynamic cloud environment that virtualizes all existing storage resources into a single, agile and services oriented infrastructure that reduces storage costs, mitigates risk and is easily managed in the face of changing demands. We hope that through the virtual conference, we can educate our customers and IT community at large on the benefits of this technology and how it can deliver benefits for a variety of industries,” said Sunil Chavan, Director, Content & File Services, Asia Pacific of Hitachi Data Systems.
Viewers registering for the conference can leave the questions, comments or messages on every presentation, video, and webcast that forms a part of the virtual conference. Attendees can also download content such as datasheets, whitepapers, and solution brochures from the interactive site.
Hitachi Cloud Customer Benefits
With sophisticated storage virtualization, Hitachi Data Systems enables a secure, multitenant environment that ensures privacy among various constituents within a shared infrastructure that can be managed from a single command suite. Supporting a variety of protocols and third party technology, enterprises and service providers can further leverage existing investments in hardware and software and allow legacy devices to inherit cloud attributes, thereby preventing cloud from becoming just another silo and eliminating the need for a complete refresh or update of hardware and software or the need to rewrite applications.
As a result, Hitachi Data Systems cloud solutions enable enterprise customers to choose the best possible technologies to address their challenges at their desired pace and budget resources. By offering an integrated set of cloud solutions, Hitachi Data Systems can deliver an agile cloud infrastructure that empowers customers to look at their existing IT infrastructure in new ways, enabling them to:
Provide efficient IT management and increase productivity through automation
Meet changing performance, availability and storage needs
Ensure security in a shared environment
Cost effectively improve data protection
Make information easy to locate and use, anywhere at any time
New Hitachi Content Platform and Cloud Enabling Technologies
Hitachi Data Systems best-in-class Hitachi Universal Storage Platform V and award-winning Hitachi Adaptable Modular Storage systems provide a single, virtual pool of storage with a host of key cloud attributes which can be provisioned against all types of IT services on demand. These services can be delivered via a number of fully integrated solutions including the recently announced Hitachi NAS Platform for file services, the Hitachi Data Discovery Suite for collaboration and search and the new Hitachi Content Platform for cloud storage, archiving, business continuity, creating content depots, consolidation and many other services. The Hitachi Content Platform also includes a number of advanced features that enable the solution to address a variety of challenges beyond the long term preservation of business critical information, such as:
Enabling Customers to Evolve Cloud at Their Own Pace: The new Hitachi Content Platform will serve enterprise content storage needs as well as public and private cloud environments within a single optimized cluster. Customers can adopt the cloud technologies based on their business needs, and they do not need to purchase another storage island for their cloud solution.
Segregating Data Securely: By providing a multitenant architecture, object versioning, retention and disposition services, encryption, immutability, high availability, search capabilities and much more, Hitachi Content Platform helps IT organizations securely segregate data within different namespaces to prevent unauthorized access and provide different service level agreements and features for different data sets.
Intelligently Tiering Data: Customers will be able to manage data growth from higher tier storage to a storage platform with features and capabilities that go beyond the traditional ‘archive’ and enable intelligent content storage for a number of use cases.
Hitachi Data Systems Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT) and the only provider of Services Oriented Storage Solutions, launched a state-of-the-art virtual conference to drive awareness and education on their cloud strategy. This announcement comes on the heels of the recent launch of new agile cloud solution that combines best-in-class technologies from Hitachi Data Systems.
Addressing the challenge of ever-growing unstructured data, the virtual conference— accessed through www.hds.com/go/virtual-show—is an initiative that highlights the integrated, yet open, storage technologies evolving in cloud computing today. These technologies span a variety of workloads to support the diverse user applications. The conference demonstrates the effectiveness of the Hitachi Content Platform (HCP) that provides essential security, reliability and multitenancy for cloud infrastructures. The technologies enable companies to adopt cloud services at their own pace.
The virtual conference will be operational for a period of four months starting from now. It takes visitors through a series on information pit-stops that acquaint them with Hitachi Data Systems technologies associated with cloud and HCP. Comprising interactive presentations by experts at Hitachi Data Systems, product demonstrations, and case studies, the virtual conference addresses the synergies of both cloud computing and HCP in achieving integration of storage management, lowering cost of ownership and increasing operational simplicity.
“Cloud computing - a natural progression from virtualization technology - is emerging as a key strategy for driving IT transformation in 2010. End-to-end server and storage virtualization and management, coupled with file and content services are going to be key enablers for a comprehensive cloud strategy,” said Ravi Rajendran, Vice President and General Manager for ASEAN, Hitachi Data Systems. “By leveraging Hitachi Data Systems’ Agile Cloud Portfolio, we are able to guide customers and service providers toward a public or private cloud environment that is cost-effective, scalable and secure.”
A novel social media campaign titled ‘Sharing Cloud Innovation’ is being launched in conjunction with the conference. Targeted at Facebook users, ‘Sharing Cloud Innovation’ is a video competition for individuals to submit a one-minute video highlighting their portrayal of cloud computing in an innovative and inspiring way. The winning video will be selected on the basis of both its popularity and judges’ discretion. Facebook users can ask their friends to press ‘Like’ to the posted videos on the Hitachi Data Systems ‘Sharing Cloud Innovation’ Facebook webpage. The creator of the most “Liked’ Video coupled with the judges’ decision will win two return air tickets to Tokyo, Japan. The video competition will run on Facebook from now until end of January 2010.
“Cloud computing offers a viable alternative to traditional long term approaches to compute capacity consumption and investment. Most cloud methodologies are not in tune with heterogeneous infrastructures of enterprises. The results are poorly utilized data silos, a situation that organizations tried to avoid in the first place. Our focus is on enabling a dynamic cloud environment that virtualizes all existing storage resources into a single, agile and services oriented infrastructure that reduces storage costs, mitigates risk and is easily managed in the face of changing demands. We hope that through the virtual conference, we can educate our customers and IT community at large on the benefits of this technology and how it can deliver benefits for a variety of industries,” said Sunil Chavan, Director, Content & File Services, Asia Pacific of Hitachi Data Systems.
Viewers registering for the conference can leave the questions, comments or messages on every presentation, video, and webcast that forms a part of the virtual conference. Attendees can also download content such as datasheets, whitepapers, and solution brochures from the interactive site.
Hitachi Cloud Customer Benefits
With sophisticated storage virtualization, Hitachi Data Systems enables a secure, multitenant environment that ensures privacy among various constituents within a shared infrastructure that can be managed from a single command suite. Supporting a variety of protocols and third party technology, enterprises and service providers can further leverage existing investments in hardware and software and allow legacy devices to inherit cloud attributes, thereby preventing cloud from becoming just another silo and eliminating the need for a complete refresh or update of hardware and software or the need to rewrite applications.
As a result, Hitachi Data Systems cloud solutions enable enterprise customers to choose the best possible technologies to address their challenges at their desired pace and budget resources. By offering an integrated set of cloud solutions, Hitachi Data Systems can deliver an agile cloud infrastructure that empowers customers to look at their existing IT infrastructure in new ways, enabling them to:
Provide efficient IT management and increase productivity through automation
Meet changing performance, availability and storage needs
Ensure security in a shared environment
Cost effectively improve data protection
Make information easy to locate and use, anywhere at any time
New Hitachi Content Platform and Cloud Enabling Technologies
Hitachi Data Systems best-in-class Hitachi Universal Storage Platform V and award-winning Hitachi Adaptable Modular Storage systems provide a single, virtual pool of storage with a host of key cloud attributes which can be provisioned against all types of IT services on demand. These services can be delivered via a number of fully integrated solutions including the recently announced Hitachi NAS Platform for file services, the Hitachi Data Discovery Suite for collaboration and search and the new Hitachi Content Platform for cloud storage, archiving, business continuity, creating content depots, consolidation and many other services. The Hitachi Content Platform also includes a number of advanced features that enable the solution to address a variety of challenges beyond the long term preservation of business critical information, such as:
Enabling Customers to Evolve Cloud at Their Own Pace: The new Hitachi Content Platform will serve enterprise content storage needs as well as public and private cloud environments within a single optimized cluster. Customers can adopt the cloud technologies based on their business needs, and they do not need to purchase another storage island for their cloud solution.
Segregating Data Securely: By providing a multitenant architecture, object versioning, retention and disposition services, encryption, immutability, high availability, search capabilities and much more, Hitachi Content Platform helps IT organizations securely segregate data within different namespaces to prevent unauthorized access and provide different service level agreements and features for different data sets.
Intelligently Tiering Data: Customers will be able to manage data growth from higher tier storage to a storage platform with features and capabilities that go beyond the traditional ‘archive’ and enable intelligent content storage for a number of use cases.
Friday, November 20, 2009
True offers the latest high-speed mobile networking services at’ GreenSpace by Greyhound’ beer park
Patrons can enjoy wireless freedom with 4 Mbps WiFi by TrueMove and 7.2 Mbps TrueMove 3G
True Corporation Pcl and Thai Asia Pacific Brewery (TAPB) have joined forces to offer unlimited online fun by installing TrueMove 3G and WiFi wireless access points at the ‘GreenSpace by Greyhound’ beer park at Zen World Tower, CentralWorld. The latest generation of telecommunication standards for mobile networking enables members to keep in touch, via their mobile handsets, with their friends online or upload their photos of Bangkok’s panoramic view from the beer park located on the top three floors of the tower building.
GreenSpace patrons can now update their impressions timely on Facebook or Twitter through TrueMove WiFi which runs at a maximum speed of 4 Mbps or TrueMove 3G which runs at up to 7.2 Mbps, 4 to 35 times faster than the previous 2G system.
A selection of WiFi cards are made available at the True booth set up at the ‘GreenSpace by Greyhound’. The beer park, which opens from 18.00 – 24.00 hrs, operates from November to December 2009 on Floors 18-20 of Zen World Tower @ Central World.
True Corporation Pcl and Thai Asia Pacific Brewery (TAPB) have joined forces to offer unlimited online fun by installing TrueMove 3G and WiFi wireless access points at the ‘GreenSpace by Greyhound’ beer park at Zen World Tower, CentralWorld. The latest generation of telecommunication standards for mobile networking enables members to keep in touch, via their mobile handsets, with their friends online or upload their photos of Bangkok’s panoramic view from the beer park located on the top three floors of the tower building.
GreenSpace patrons can now update their impressions timely on Facebook or Twitter through TrueMove WiFi which runs at a maximum speed of 4 Mbps or TrueMove 3G which runs at up to 7.2 Mbps, 4 to 35 times faster than the previous 2G system.
A selection of WiFi cards are made available at the True booth set up at the ‘GreenSpace by Greyhound’. The beer park, which opens from 18.00 – 24.00 hrs, operates from November to December 2009 on Floors 18-20 of Zen World Tower @ Central World.
Friday, November 13, 2009
IBM Thailand launches LotusLive
IBM Thailand has launched its latest cloud-based offerings called LotusLive that brings web-based email, instant messaging, meetings, collaboration, social networking and project management to users over the Internet while keeping the best of enterprise grade security and privacy.
Jadesada Kraisingkorn, country manager IBM Software Group in Thailand,explained that IBM is playing at many levels in the cloud, from the actual hardware infrastructure, its CloudBurst management with flexible allocation and the top layer of solutions which is Lotus Live.
Unlike pure software-as-a-service vendors, IBM Lotus can deliver traditional on-premise,appliance (hardware preloaded with software) or cloud services.
Lotus Live delivers solutions in three key areas. The first group is messaging (email and instant messaging, called SameTime) and content management;second is communication and social networking, the art of linking people to people within a big organisation not just through work flow; and third is integration with corporate applications.
IBM stresses that while Lotus Live is not the first cloud email service, it is an enterprise-grade cloud email service with a strong focus on ownership of data,security and integration with the rest of the organisation.
Lotus Live Engage allows users to log in for meetings over the Internet where they can share screens and dashboards.Engage is a development of IBM's internal BlueHouse which was once showcased as a Facebook for the enterprise.
One of its strengths is the concept of guests. It is possible to give access to certain pages to outsiders without having to pay if they work on the project where they can share in collaboration and activities related to the project. Engage is integrated into work flow with meeting details kept along with transcripts and to-do lists on what was agreed from the meeting.
Then there is Lotus Live Events which is more one-way and focused on training and seminars.
The modules are built around Lotus Live Notes/iNotes which has email and calendaring and is integrate with all the other modules.
The big difference compared to other web-based office solutions is that Lotus Live has the concept of roles. In a typical organisation, the secretary of the boss will have her boss's password, which is very dangerous. In Lotus Live it is possible to delegate to the secretary such that she can read and create only but cannot delete, and any email sent out will be tagged sent on behalf of.
Unlike the paid-for competition, Lotus Live does not do data mining on user data and one of the spokespersons urged anyone using a certain free for up to 25 user competitor (clearly Google Apps)to check their fine print.
In January, IBM announced a partnership with salesforce.com that will turn Lotus Live activities into Salesforce opportunities where the progress of a sales lead can me monitored from Lotus Live's dashboards. Other partnerships exist with Skype for click to call and LinkedIn where files can be shared with people on linked in easily.
IBM Thailand is aiming the package at SMEs, selling it through partners and offering them IBM technology at an affordable price.
Jadesada Kraisingkorn, country manager IBM Software Group in Thailand,explained that IBM is playing at many levels in the cloud, from the actual hardware infrastructure, its CloudBurst management with flexible allocation and the top layer of solutions which is Lotus Live.
Unlike pure software-as-a-service vendors, IBM Lotus can deliver traditional on-premise,appliance (hardware preloaded with software) or cloud services.
Lotus Live delivers solutions in three key areas. The first group is messaging (email and instant messaging, called SameTime) and content management;second is communication and social networking, the art of linking people to people within a big organisation not just through work flow; and third is integration with corporate applications.
IBM stresses that while Lotus Live is not the first cloud email service, it is an enterprise-grade cloud email service with a strong focus on ownership of data,security and integration with the rest of the organisation.
Lotus Live Engage allows users to log in for meetings over the Internet where they can share screens and dashboards.Engage is a development of IBM's internal BlueHouse which was once showcased as a Facebook for the enterprise.
One of its strengths is the concept of guests. It is possible to give access to certain pages to outsiders without having to pay if they work on the project where they can share in collaboration and activities related to the project. Engage is integrated into work flow with meeting details kept along with transcripts and to-do lists on what was agreed from the meeting.
Then there is Lotus Live Events which is more one-way and focused on training and seminars.
The modules are built around Lotus Live Notes/iNotes which has email and calendaring and is integrate with all the other modules.
The big difference compared to other web-based office solutions is that Lotus Live has the concept of roles. In a typical organisation, the secretary of the boss will have her boss's password, which is very dangerous. In Lotus Live it is possible to delegate to the secretary such that she can read and create only but cannot delete, and any email sent out will be tagged sent on behalf of.
Unlike the paid-for competition, Lotus Live does not do data mining on user data and one of the spokespersons urged anyone using a certain free for up to 25 user competitor (clearly Google Apps)to check their fine print.
In January, IBM announced a partnership with salesforce.com that will turn Lotus Live activities into Salesforce opportunities where the progress of a sales lead can me monitored from Lotus Live's dashboards. Other partnerships exist with Skype for click to call and LinkedIn where files can be shared with people on linked in easily.
IBM Thailand is aiming the package at SMEs, selling it through partners and offering them IBM technology at an affordable price.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
CALL TO REQUIRE THAI-MADE EQUIPMENT FOR 3G ROLL-OUT
The national telecom watchdog yesterday was urged to include a requirement in the licence-auction guidelines to use locally made equipment in part of the third-generation network rollout. Former deputy transport minister Pinij Charusombat said otherwise only foreign suppliers would benefit fully from the network investment.
Pinij made the suggestion during a seminar in Bangkok entitled "3G and the Development of the Thai Capital Market", hosted by the Capital Market Academy.
He said this would enable local manufacturers to share in the benefits. Otherwise, Thais would gain only 20 per cent of the return from the 3G-network investment, with the rest going to foreign telecom-equipment suppliers. Although one of the banned Thai Rak Thai Party MPs, Pinij is believed to be a de-facto leader of the Puea Pandin Party.
He said veteran telecom operators should not be allowed to bid for the 3G 2.1-gigahertz licences, but rather only new entrants, which would promote real market competition.
One of two panellists, National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) commissioner Sethaporn Cusripituck, said the auction for the four 3G licences would spark huge investment. Each of the four winners will spend an estimated Bt50 billion on their network roll-out during the initial phase, thus encouraging investment and creating jobs.
The other panellist, NTC member Sudharma Yoonaidharma, said the NTC should first finish the main rules regulating the market in the post-3G era before granting the licences.
But he said the licences should be issued soon, to give telecom operators time to prepare for rolling out their 3G networks before their concessions ended. All private telecom operators' networks belong to their concession owners - TOT and CAT Telecom - under "built-transfer-operate" arrangements.
Stock Exchange of Thailand president Patareeya Benjapholchai said during the opening of the seminar that the combined market capitalisation of listed telecom firms was about Bt500 billion, accounting for 10.88 per cent of the combined market capitalisation of all listed firms.
In a separate matter, securities houses yesterday downgraded telecommunications stocks in the face of a possible further delay to the NTC's plan to auction the four 3G licences. During a meeting on Wednesday, economic ministers asked the NTC to consult with the Council of State about whether it had full authority to grant the new spectrum before proceeding with the auction plan. The watchdog agreed to do so.
The securities houses said the possible delay had affected the attractiveness of shares of three listed telecom operators: Advanced Info Service (AIS), Total Access Communication (DTAC) and True Corp, parent of True Move.
A Finansa Securities analyst recommended "sell" for True shares and shares remained "buy", thanks to a high dividend yield.
The analyst said telecommunications operators hoped 3G would drive their earnings growth. Without the licences, their earnings growth would not be as attractive for investors and stakeholders over the next three years.
An analyst at UOB Kay Hian Securities (Thailand) said that if the 3G-licence auction were postponed by six months to a year, operating costs would be affected. The licences are expected to reduce costs at least 10 per cent.
The NTC is expected to auction the licences next February. Many parties believe they will pave the way for the telecom concessionaires to migrate customers from the state concessions to the licensees, in order to save on regulatory costs.
Each of them pays about 25 per cent of their revenue on average as their concession fee, while the annual 3G-licence fee will cost 6.5 per cent of revenue.
Similar to Finansa, the UOB analyst also recommended "sell" for True shares and "hold" for DTAC but maintained a "buy" recommendation for AIS. AIS< DTAC and True all closed lower yesterday. DTAC declined 4.58 per cent to Bt36.50, AIS 1.17 per cent to Bt84.25 and True 2.79 per cent Bt2.79.
Pinij made the suggestion during a seminar in Bangkok entitled "3G and the Development of the Thai Capital Market", hosted by the Capital Market Academy.
He said this would enable local manufacturers to share in the benefits. Otherwise, Thais would gain only 20 per cent of the return from the 3G-network investment, with the rest going to foreign telecom-equipment suppliers. Although one of the banned Thai Rak Thai Party MPs, Pinij is believed to be a de-facto leader of the Puea Pandin Party.
He said veteran telecom operators should not be allowed to bid for the 3G 2.1-gigahertz licences, but rather only new entrants, which would promote real market competition.
One of two panellists, National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) commissioner Sethaporn Cusripituck, said the auction for the four 3G licences would spark huge investment. Each of the four winners will spend an estimated Bt50 billion on their network roll-out during the initial phase, thus encouraging investment and creating jobs.
The other panellist, NTC member Sudharma Yoonaidharma, said the NTC should first finish the main rules regulating the market in the post-3G era before granting the licences.
But he said the licences should be issued soon, to give telecom operators time to prepare for rolling out their 3G networks before their concessions ended. All private telecom operators' networks belong to their concession owners - TOT and CAT Telecom - under "built-transfer-operate" arrangements.
Stock Exchange of Thailand president Patareeya Benjapholchai said during the opening of the seminar that the combined market capitalisation of listed telecom firms was about Bt500 billion, accounting for 10.88 per cent of the combined market capitalisation of all listed firms.
In a separate matter, securities houses yesterday downgraded telecommunications stocks in the face of a possible further delay to the NTC's plan to auction the four 3G licences. During a meeting on Wednesday, economic ministers asked the NTC to consult with the Council of State about whether it had full authority to grant the new spectrum before proceeding with the auction plan. The watchdog agreed to do so.
The securities houses said the possible delay had affected the attractiveness of shares of three listed telecom operators: Advanced Info Service (AIS), Total Access Communication (DTAC) and True Corp, parent of True Move.
A Finansa Securities analyst recommended "sell" for True shares and shares remained "buy", thanks to a high dividend yield.
The analyst said telecommunications operators hoped 3G would drive their earnings growth. Without the licences, their earnings growth would not be as attractive for investors and stakeholders over the next three years.
An analyst at UOB Kay Hian Securities (Thailand) said that if the 3G-licence auction were postponed by six months to a year, operating costs would be affected. The licences are expected to reduce costs at least 10 per cent.
The NTC is expected to auction the licences next February. Many parties believe they will pave the way for the telecom concessionaires to migrate customers from the state concessions to the licensees, in order to save on regulatory costs.
Each of them pays about 25 per cent of their revenue on average as their concession fee, while the annual 3G-licence fee will cost 6.5 per cent of revenue.
Similar to Finansa, the UOB analyst also recommended "sell" for True shares and "hold" for DTAC but maintained a "buy" recommendation for AIS. AIS< DTAC and True all closed lower yesterday. DTAC declined 4.58 per cent to Bt36.50, AIS 1.17 per cent to Bt84.25 and True 2.79 per cent Bt2.79.
iPHONE ARRIVES IN CHINA WITHOUT KEY FEATURE
Apple's iPhone is making its long-awaited formal debut in the world's most populous mobile-phone market, without a key feature and at higher prices than widely available black-market models.
Apple's local service provider, China Unicom, hopes the iPhone will give it an edge against giant rival China Mobile, the world's biggest phone company by number of subscribers.
Unicom was to start selling iPhones equipped for third-generation (3G) services last week at 2,000 stores in areas as far-flung as Tibet. Chinese news reports said Unicom hoped to sell 5 million iPhones in three years, but the company declined to confirm that.
Unicom's first iPhones lack WiFi, a possible handicap with sophisticated, demanding Chinese buyers. The technology, a key part of the iPhone's appeal, allows owners in other markets to use wireless networks in cafes and offices to download e-mail and the latest applications, free of charge.
"There's going to be a perception that the phone they have is 'dumbed down' from the one that somebody has in California," said Duncan Clark, the chairman of Beijing-based technology-research firm BDA China.
"We've seen before that Chinese consumers don't like to be treated like second-class citizens."
Apple and Unicom could also face competition from an unusual source: unlocked iPhones brought in from abroad that have WiFi.
There are already an estimated 1.5 million to 2 million such phones in China using China Moile's 3G service that allows Internet access and other features.
Unicom's prices range from 4,999-6,999 yuan (Bt24,500 to Bt34,300) for the high-end, 32-gigabyte iPhone 3GS. That is 20-per-cent more than the 5,700 yuan charged by merchants at Chinese street markets for a 3GS with WiFi.
The iPhone's awkward, delayed entry into China reflects the regulatory and technical hudles of a fast-changing market where other global technology companies have struggled to establish themselves.
Unicom's iPhones lack WiFi because it was temporarily banned by Beijing, which was promoting a rival Chinese system, BDA said. The ban was relaxed in May after manufacturing had begun.
A Unicom spokesman, YiDifei, said the company hoped to have WiFi in the next batch of phones.
"We are talking with apple and expect the problem to be solved by the end of this year," Yi said.
The iPhone debuted in the United States in June 2007, but its formal arrival in China was delayed as Apple negotiated with service providers. Chinese media said the talks were snagged on disagreements about how revenue should be divided.
China has more than 650 million mobile-phone accounts despite an average annual income of only US$3,000 (Bt100,000) per person. Consumers trade in phones as often as several times a year to obtain the latest models and features.
China Unicom has 143 million modile accounts, which would be an impressive figure in any other market but lags far behind China's Mobile's 508 million accoutns.
Global technology companies that dominate other markets have struggled to obtain a foothold in China. Search engine Google has less than 30 per cent of the market, against more than 60 per cent for local rival Baidu. Yahoo turned over its Chinese operation to a local partner after failing to expand its market share.
China's state-owned phone companies were restructured by the government into three groups last year in hopes of reviving competition after the explosive popularity of mobile services turned China Mobile into a behemoth.
Apple's local service provider, China Unicom, hopes the iPhone will give it an edge against giant rival China Mobile, the world's biggest phone company by number of subscribers.
Unicom was to start selling iPhones equipped for third-generation (3G) services last week at 2,000 stores in areas as far-flung as Tibet. Chinese news reports said Unicom hoped to sell 5 million iPhones in three years, but the company declined to confirm that.
Unicom's first iPhones lack WiFi, a possible handicap with sophisticated, demanding Chinese buyers. The technology, a key part of the iPhone's appeal, allows owners in other markets to use wireless networks in cafes and offices to download e-mail and the latest applications, free of charge.
"There's going to be a perception that the phone they have is 'dumbed down' from the one that somebody has in California," said Duncan Clark, the chairman of Beijing-based technology-research firm BDA China.
"We've seen before that Chinese consumers don't like to be treated like second-class citizens."
Apple and Unicom could also face competition from an unusual source: unlocked iPhones brought in from abroad that have WiFi.
There are already an estimated 1.5 million to 2 million such phones in China using China Moile's 3G service that allows Internet access and other features.
Unicom's prices range from 4,999-6,999 yuan (Bt24,500 to Bt34,300) for the high-end, 32-gigabyte iPhone 3GS. That is 20-per-cent more than the 5,700 yuan charged by merchants at Chinese street markets for a 3GS with WiFi.
The iPhone's awkward, delayed entry into China reflects the regulatory and technical hudles of a fast-changing market where other global technology companies have struggled to establish themselves.
Unicom's iPhones lack WiFi because it was temporarily banned by Beijing, which was promoting a rival Chinese system, BDA said. The ban was relaxed in May after manufacturing had begun.
A Unicom spokesman, YiDifei, said the company hoped to have WiFi in the next batch of phones.
"We are talking with apple and expect the problem to be solved by the end of this year," Yi said.
The iPhone debuted in the United States in June 2007, but its formal arrival in China was delayed as Apple negotiated with service providers. Chinese media said the talks were snagged on disagreements about how revenue should be divided.
China has more than 650 million mobile-phone accounts despite an average annual income of only US$3,000 (Bt100,000) per person. Consumers trade in phones as often as several times a year to obtain the latest models and features.
China Unicom has 143 million modile accounts, which would be an impressive figure in any other market but lags far behind China's Mobile's 508 million accoutns.
Global technology companies that dominate other markets have struggled to obtain a foothold in China. Search engine Google has less than 30 per cent of the market, against more than 60 per cent for local rival Baidu. Yahoo turned over its Chinese operation to a local partner after failing to expand its market share.
China's state-owned phone companies were restructured by the government into three groups last year in hopes of reviving competition after the explosive popularity of mobile services turned China Mobile into a behemoth.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
TOT, CAT TOLD TO FOCUS ON STRENGTHS
The state-enterprise administrator has suggested that TOT and CAT Telecom focus on what they do best, providing telecom network services, instead of competing in the retail cellular market.
Kulit Sombatsiri, deputy director of the State Enterprise Policy Committee, said the Finance Ministry had clearly established that TOT and CAT are to be the state's mechanism of providing and developing the country's basic telecom infrastructure.
Headded that both entities should focus on their areas of expertise. TOT has years of experience in providing a fixed-line telecom network, therefore it should mainly focus on further developing broadband and fibreoptic networks. CAT has been the primary provider of overseas call services, therefore it should focus on further enhancing this market. He said both state agencies should review their services to see if they can perform better than the private sector.
Kulit made the remarks during a seminar "The Survival Direction of the Country's Telecommunications Industry", hosted yesterday by the Senate's science and communications technology committee. The seminar is part of the committee's plan to find ways to help TOT and CAT improve their competitiveness.
Anant Worathitipong, vice chairman of the panel, said that TOT and CAT should make their minds up whether they want to concentrate on the country's network infrastructure or compete with the private sector. it would be difficult to be successful in both.
Poomjai Attanant, director of the Infrastructure Project Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), added that both agencies should also be working on plans on how to fully utilise the existing network assets worth a combined Bt300 billion after concessions end in the next few years.
TOT's senior executive vice president Kittipong Tameyapradit said TOT was ready to be a network provider. It has allowed interested companies to propose to lease its upcoming 3G network in greater Bangkok to provide retail services.
However, he want the government to amend the relevant operation and procurement regulations to enable TOT to work faster and operate on a more efficient basis. Kulit said TOT and CAT could develop their own flexible procurement regulations and submit them for approval of the Office of the Auditor-General.
CAT senior executive vice president Kittipong Mekvichitseang said CAT had been improving its operating efficiency to be able to compete with private competitors, but its main abstacle was inflexible procurement regulations.
He added that TOT and CAT might experience problems making profits if they limit their roles to merely leasing the networks. Therefore, both agencies should do both-provide the network services and compete in the retail cellular sector.
Weera Burankitcharoen, a subcommitee member of the Senate's science and communications panel, said the government should amend the regulations controlling TOT and CAT to allow them to fully compete with private companies.
It has to ensure that the appointment of their board members and chief executives is free from political interference, he added.
Kulit Sombatsiri, deputy director of the State Enterprise Policy Committee, said the Finance Ministry had clearly established that TOT and CAT are to be the state's mechanism of providing and developing the country's basic telecom infrastructure.
Headded that both entities should focus on their areas of expertise. TOT has years of experience in providing a fixed-line telecom network, therefore it should mainly focus on further developing broadband and fibreoptic networks. CAT has been the primary provider of overseas call services, therefore it should focus on further enhancing this market. He said both state agencies should review their services to see if they can perform better than the private sector.
Kulit made the remarks during a seminar "The Survival Direction of the Country's Telecommunications Industry", hosted yesterday by the Senate's science and communications technology committee. The seminar is part of the committee's plan to find ways to help TOT and CAT improve their competitiveness.
Anant Worathitipong, vice chairman of the panel, said that TOT and CAT should make their minds up whether they want to concentrate on the country's network infrastructure or compete with the private sector. it would be difficult to be successful in both.
Poomjai Attanant, director of the Infrastructure Project Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), added that both agencies should also be working on plans on how to fully utilise the existing network assets worth a combined Bt300 billion after concessions end in the next few years.
TOT's senior executive vice president Kittipong Tameyapradit said TOT was ready to be a network provider. It has allowed interested companies to propose to lease its upcoming 3G network in greater Bangkok to provide retail services.
However, he want the government to amend the relevant operation and procurement regulations to enable TOT to work faster and operate on a more efficient basis. Kulit said TOT and CAT could develop their own flexible procurement regulations and submit them for approval of the Office of the Auditor-General.
CAT senior executive vice president Kittipong Mekvichitseang said CAT had been improving its operating efficiency to be able to compete with private competitors, but its main abstacle was inflexible procurement regulations.
He added that TOT and CAT might experience problems making profits if they limit their roles to merely leasing the networks. Therefore, both agencies should do both-provide the network services and compete in the retail cellular sector.
Weera Burankitcharoen, a subcommitee member of the Senate's science and communications panel, said the government should amend the regulations controlling TOT and CAT to allow them to fully compete with private companies.
It has to ensure that the appointment of their board members and chief executives is free from political interference, he added.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
OBSTACLE COURSE AHEAD OF NTC ON 3G LICENSING
The national telecom regulator faces a host of obstacles that could derail its plan to auction four 3G-2.1GHz spectrum licences in December.
One of the hurdles is whether the National Telecommunications Commission has the authority to grant the licences.
Recently Pornchai Meemak, a former member of the TOT labour union, filed a lawsuit against the NTC at the Central Administrative Court. He argued it was the authority of the broadcasting and telecom regulators to jointly allocate the new spectrum licences, and not that of the NTC alone.
The court has yet to accept the case, but Pornchai said his move suggested the NTC could face a spate of lawsuits if it pressed ahead with the auction of the 3G licences.
The question of NTC's licensing authority has haunted the watchdog since 2005, when the Central Administrative Court nullified the process of selecting 14 candidates for the seven seats on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), citing unconstitutionality.
The frequency allocation law mandates that a joint quorum of the NTC and the NBC is needed to draw up the telecom and broadcasting spectrum table and prescribe the use of the spectra.
In 2006, the watchdog consulted the Council of State over whether it has the authority to grant the new spectra without the NBC. The council said the NTC might be able to do so by referring to the spectrum table of the International Telecom Union in drawing its own table.
However, the Lawyers Council of Thailand recently pointed out that the council's ruling was delivered in 2006, before the inception of the 2007 Constitution, which mandates the establishment of a new and single broadcasting and telecommunications regulator.
The establishment of the single watchdog has therefore added a new question of whether it is more appropriate for the NTC to let the new entity grant the new spectrum licences.
The NTC plans to consult with the Council of State again on the question of its licensing authority.
Moreover, it has been suggested that it would be more appropriate for the NTC to wait for its four new members to take office first before it proceeds with the auction.
The two NTC member selection panels recently completed the processes of selecting a combined eight candidates to replace the four incumbent commissioners. The Senate might be able to appoint four of them to the NTC seats before the parliamentary session ends in November.
One commissioner, Artorn Chandavimol, resigned from the post before his term ended. Three other NTC members were then balloted out from the seats in 2006 after three years in office, in accordance with the frequency allocation law. However, these three remain in office until they are replaced.
Telecom industry observers said the new commissioners might ask to review or even delay the auction plan.
The private and state sectors have also said the planned auction process and conditions would financially hurt TOT and CAT Telecom and favour cash-rich firms - especially those with state foreign shareholders - over smaller players.
One auction condition requires the bid winners to pay for the licences on a one-off basis, instead of by instalment. The NTC argues that the ability to pay in this way suggested a bidder's capacity to substantially develop a cash-hungry 3G business.
TOT has strongly opposed the licensing, saying that it would pave way for the private mobile concessions to migrate subscribers from the existing concessions to the 3G licences in order to save on regulatory costs. This would lead to a decline in its concession revenue.
TOT received Bt19 billion in concession fees from Advanced Info Service last year.
A major point of contention is that the auction would pave the way for foreign state telecom firms that are major shareholders in Thai telecom operators to grab the precious 3G licences and dominate the Thai market.
The NTC argued that it would refer to the Foreign Business Act and the Telecom Business Act when selecting the qualified 3G licence bidders. The two laws each limit foreign telecom companies' shareholdings in Thai telecom firms at 49 per cent.
Another key criticism is that the bid winners, after spending heavily to get the licences in the auction, would later pass on the cost to 3G users by imposing high service charges.
A telecom scholar has argued, however, that the NTC has the authority to set a maximum service fee.
One of the hurdles is whether the National Telecommunications Commission has the authority to grant the licences.
Recently Pornchai Meemak, a former member of the TOT labour union, filed a lawsuit against the NTC at the Central Administrative Court. He argued it was the authority of the broadcasting and telecom regulators to jointly allocate the new spectrum licences, and not that of the NTC alone.
The court has yet to accept the case, but Pornchai said his move suggested the NTC could face a spate of lawsuits if it pressed ahead with the auction of the 3G licences.
The question of NTC's licensing authority has haunted the watchdog since 2005, when the Central Administrative Court nullified the process of selecting 14 candidates for the seven seats on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), citing unconstitutionality.
The frequency allocation law mandates that a joint quorum of the NTC and the NBC is needed to draw up the telecom and broadcasting spectrum table and prescribe the use of the spectra.
In 2006, the watchdog consulted the Council of State over whether it has the authority to grant the new spectra without the NBC. The council said the NTC might be able to do so by referring to the spectrum table of the International Telecom Union in drawing its own table.
However, the Lawyers Council of Thailand recently pointed out that the council's ruling was delivered in 2006, before the inception of the 2007 Constitution, which mandates the establishment of a new and single broadcasting and telecommunications regulator.
The establishment of the single watchdog has therefore added a new question of whether it is more appropriate for the NTC to let the new entity grant the new spectrum licences.
The NTC plans to consult with the Council of State again on the question of its licensing authority.
Moreover, it has been suggested that it would be more appropriate for the NTC to wait for its four new members to take office first before it proceeds with the auction.
The two NTC member selection panels recently completed the processes of selecting a combined eight candidates to replace the four incumbent commissioners. The Senate might be able to appoint four of them to the NTC seats before the parliamentary session ends in November.
One commissioner, Artorn Chandavimol, resigned from the post before his term ended. Three other NTC members were then balloted out from the seats in 2006 after three years in office, in accordance with the frequency allocation law. However, these three remain in office until they are replaced.
Telecom industry observers said the new commissioners might ask to review or even delay the auction plan.
The private and state sectors have also said the planned auction process and conditions would financially hurt TOT and CAT Telecom and favour cash-rich firms - especially those with state foreign shareholders - over smaller players.
One auction condition requires the bid winners to pay for the licences on a one-off basis, instead of by instalment. The NTC argues that the ability to pay in this way suggested a bidder's capacity to substantially develop a cash-hungry 3G business.
TOT has strongly opposed the licensing, saying that it would pave way for the private mobile concessions to migrate subscribers from the existing concessions to the 3G licences in order to save on regulatory costs. This would lead to a decline in its concession revenue.
TOT received Bt19 billion in concession fees from Advanced Info Service last year.
A major point of contention is that the auction would pave the way for foreign state telecom firms that are major shareholders in Thai telecom operators to grab the precious 3G licences and dominate the Thai market.
The NTC argued that it would refer to the Foreign Business Act and the Telecom Business Act when selecting the qualified 3G licence bidders. The two laws each limit foreign telecom companies' shareholdings in Thai telecom firms at 49 per cent.
Another key criticism is that the bid winners, after spending heavily to get the licences in the auction, would later pass on the cost to 3G users by imposing high service charges.
A telecom scholar has argued, however, that the NTC has the authority to set a maximum service fee.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
CAT ANGRY OVER LAWSUIT, SET TO PULL CONCESSION FROM TRUE MOVE
CAT Telecom has threatened to terminate the concession contract of its private mobile concession True Move, citing lack of good faith and its recent filing of a lawsuit against CAT.
CAT executive chairman Krisda Kaveeyarn said yesterday that under the concession contract, CAT could terminate the True Move concession if it caused any damage to the state concession owner.
The state agency might also decide not to allow True Move to lease CAT's network for an additional five years after True Move's concession ends in the next four years. It might also disallow True Move from using its 850 MHz spectrum to provide 3G wireless broadband service on a trial basis, he added.
True Move and Total Access Communication (DTAC) have both provided the 3G service on their existing 850 MHz spectrum on a trial basis with permission from CAT.
The threatening move from CATcame after True Move filed a civil case against CAT and also the state agency's two executives on September 24 to demand compensation of Bt50 million, citing that CAT had caused damage to True Move's image.
True Move said CAT has declined to return its bank guarantee regarding the minimum concession fee it had paid to CAT during the past three years. The CAT declined to return such guarantee amount later makes four banks from which it regularly seek bank guarantees decline to continue to provide the bank guarantee to True Move this year for paying such concession revenue minimum guarantee to CAT.
CAT explained it had to seize True Move's bank guarantee as the service provider had declined to pay the full concession fee to CAT and had instead deducted the interconnection fee. Therefore, CAT had seized the company's bank guarantee of Bt 350 million in 2006, Bt380 million in 2007, and Bt580 million in 2008. True Move has to pay the minimum concession fee guarantee of Bt640 million this year.
CAT also held back DTAC's bank guarantee as DTAC had deducted the interconnection fee from the concession fee first before paying the remaining concession fee to CAT. But banks still provide bank guarantee to DTAC on the matter due to its healthy financial status.
True Move's chief executive officer Supachai Chearavanont said the company has no intention to be in conflict with CAT but the company had to let the court decide the case for the good of both sides.
Currently True Move is engaged in seven legal cases with CAT. Six of them are cases CAT has filed against True Move with the Arbitration Panel, while the one has been filed by True Move against CAT.
The CAT board yesterday ordered the state agency's chief executive officer Jirayuth Rungsrithong to talk to True Move on how they could proceed with the cases.
Among the cases CAT has filed against True Move is the telecom excise tax. In 2006, the Thaksin Shinawatra government issued an executive decree to order all private fixed-line operators and cellular operators to pay part of the concession fee as the excise tax first before paying the remaining concession fee amount to their state concession owners CAT and TOT. This affected the concession revenue of TOT and CAT as earlier they had gained the full concession fee amount from the private concessions. However, the next government terminated the telecom excise tax in 2007. CAT asked True Move to pay the concession fee of Bt6 billion, which is the amount the company paid as telecom excise tax.
CAT senior executive Hansa Chivapruek said that the stage agency had already asked the Council of State in September to rule if it could allow private mobile concessionaires to offer the 3G service on commercial basis on their existing 850 MHz spectrum. If the Council of State rules it is permissible, CAT would allow True Move and DTAC to provide such service commercially.
But Krisda said that as True Move has already filed a lawsuit against CAT for damaging its image, CAT might not support the company in the matter.
"We don't want the company without good faith to do business with us," he added.
CAT executive chairman Krisda Kaveeyarn said yesterday that under the concession contract, CAT could terminate the True Move concession if it caused any damage to the state concession owner.
The state agency might also decide not to allow True Move to lease CAT's network for an additional five years after True Move's concession ends in the next four years. It might also disallow True Move from using its 850 MHz spectrum to provide 3G wireless broadband service on a trial basis, he added.
True Move and Total Access Communication (DTAC) have both provided the 3G service on their existing 850 MHz spectrum on a trial basis with permission from CAT.
The threatening move from CATcame after True Move filed a civil case against CAT and also the state agency's two executives on September 24 to demand compensation of Bt50 million, citing that CAT had caused damage to True Move's image.
True Move said CAT has declined to return its bank guarantee regarding the minimum concession fee it had paid to CAT during the past three years. The CAT declined to return such guarantee amount later makes four banks from which it regularly seek bank guarantees decline to continue to provide the bank guarantee to True Move this year for paying such concession revenue minimum guarantee to CAT.
CAT explained it had to seize True Move's bank guarantee as the service provider had declined to pay the full concession fee to CAT and had instead deducted the interconnection fee. Therefore, CAT had seized the company's bank guarantee of Bt 350 million in 2006, Bt380 million in 2007, and Bt580 million in 2008. True Move has to pay the minimum concession fee guarantee of Bt640 million this year.
CAT also held back DTAC's bank guarantee as DTAC had deducted the interconnection fee from the concession fee first before paying the remaining concession fee to CAT. But banks still provide bank guarantee to DTAC on the matter due to its healthy financial status.
True Move's chief executive officer Supachai Chearavanont said the company has no intention to be in conflict with CAT but the company had to let the court decide the case for the good of both sides.
Currently True Move is engaged in seven legal cases with CAT. Six of them are cases CAT has filed against True Move with the Arbitration Panel, while the one has been filed by True Move against CAT.
The CAT board yesterday ordered the state agency's chief executive officer Jirayuth Rungsrithong to talk to True Move on how they could proceed with the cases.
Among the cases CAT has filed against True Move is the telecom excise tax. In 2006, the Thaksin Shinawatra government issued an executive decree to order all private fixed-line operators and cellular operators to pay part of the concession fee as the excise tax first before paying the remaining concession fee amount to their state concession owners CAT and TOT. This affected the concession revenue of TOT and CAT as earlier they had gained the full concession fee amount from the private concessions. However, the next government terminated the telecom excise tax in 2007. CAT asked True Move to pay the concession fee of Bt6 billion, which is the amount the company paid as telecom excise tax.
CAT senior executive Hansa Chivapruek said that the stage agency had already asked the Council of State in September to rule if it could allow private mobile concessionaires to offer the 3G service on commercial basis on their existing 850 MHz spectrum. If the Council of State rules it is permissible, CAT would allow True Move and DTAC to provide such service commercially.
But Krisda said that as True Move has already filed a lawsuit against CAT for damaging its image, CAT might not support the company in the matter.
"We don't want the company without good faith to do business with us," he added.
Monday, October 12, 2009
NTC TO SEEK COUNCIL OF STATE OPINION ON AUCTION
The national telecom regulator will consult the Council of State again over whether it has full legal authority to auction the 3G-2.1GHz spectrum licences.
The board of the National Telecommu-nications Commission took this decision late last week, its chairman Choochart Phrom-prasit said.
Many private and state parties have questioned the NTC's authority to grant the 3G licences during the ongoing formation of the new telecom and broadcasting regulator.
NTC member Sethaporn Cusripituck said the watchdog would continue to proceed with the second public hearing on the auction conditions.
He declined to say, however, whether the NTC would put off the tentative auction schedule from the planned second week of December in order to wait for the Council of State's opinion.
He said he was uncertain when the NTC could auction the licences and maybe all it could do was to publish the final auction details in the Royal Gazette after the second public hearing.
"We're between a rock and a hard place. If we move to auction the licences, we might risk being sued. If we don't, we might face a charge of failing to follow the telecom master plan under which we are to award the 3G licences this year," he added.
In 2006, the NTC consulted the Council of State for the first time on whether it could draw up a national frequency-allocation table and award new spectrum licences without waiting for the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to be set up.
The council replied that the NTC might be able to refer to the frequency table of the International Telecommunication Union as a guideline for drawing up the spectrum table and allocating the spectra.
Under the telecom law, both the NTC and the NBC must jointly create the national frequency-allocation table. But in 2005, the Central Administrative Court nullified the process of selecting 14 candidates for the NBC seats, citing the unconstitutionality of the process.
The Lawyers Council of Thailand last Thursday said the Council of State's first opinion was delivered to the NTC in 2006, before the inception of the 2007 Constitution, under which the Article 47 determines the establishment of the new telecom and broadcasting regulator.
Early this month, Baker & McKenzie, the legal adviser of True Corp, wrote to warn the NTC that its planned licence auction might be unconstitutional.
A telecom industry observer said the NTC's weak point was its lack of legal adviser to counsel on the possible legal impact and shortcomings of the licence plan.
Some state and private parties have said the watchdog's plan to grant licences by auction would favour cash-rich telecom operators - especially those with state foreign shareholders - over smaller firms, and would fully pave the way for foreign firms to snatch the 3G licences, which are regarded as a national asset.
The board of the National Telecommu-nications Commission took this decision late last week, its chairman Choochart Phrom-prasit said.
Many private and state parties have questioned the NTC's authority to grant the 3G licences during the ongoing formation of the new telecom and broadcasting regulator.
NTC member Sethaporn Cusripituck said the watchdog would continue to proceed with the second public hearing on the auction conditions.
He declined to say, however, whether the NTC would put off the tentative auction schedule from the planned second week of December in order to wait for the Council of State's opinion.
He said he was uncertain when the NTC could auction the licences and maybe all it could do was to publish the final auction details in the Royal Gazette after the second public hearing.
"We're between a rock and a hard place. If we move to auction the licences, we might risk being sued. If we don't, we might face a charge of failing to follow the telecom master plan under which we are to award the 3G licences this year," he added.
In 2006, the NTC consulted the Council of State for the first time on whether it could draw up a national frequency-allocation table and award new spectrum licences without waiting for the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to be set up.
The council replied that the NTC might be able to refer to the frequency table of the International Telecommunication Union as a guideline for drawing up the spectrum table and allocating the spectra.
Under the telecom law, both the NTC and the NBC must jointly create the national frequency-allocation table. But in 2005, the Central Administrative Court nullified the process of selecting 14 candidates for the NBC seats, citing the unconstitutionality of the process.
The Lawyers Council of Thailand last Thursday said the Council of State's first opinion was delivered to the NTC in 2006, before the inception of the 2007 Constitution, under which the Article 47 determines the establishment of the new telecom and broadcasting regulator.
Early this month, Baker & McKenzie, the legal adviser of True Corp, wrote to warn the NTC that its planned licence auction might be unconstitutional.
A telecom industry observer said the NTC's weak point was its lack of legal adviser to counsel on the possible legal impact and shortcomings of the licence plan.
Some state and private parties have said the watchdog's plan to grant licences by auction would favour cash-rich telecom operators - especially those with state foreign shareholders - over smaller firms, and would fully pave the way for foreign firms to snatch the 3G licences, which are regarded as a national asset.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
EXPERTS URGES FEWER, MORE EXPENSIVE 3G LICENCES
Telecom scholar Somkiat Tangkitvanich yesterday urged the national telecom regulator to award only a few third-generation 2.1-gigahertz licences and those at a high price.
He said that way, the licensing would not be regarded by the public as a means to helping private telecom operators move away from state concession towards the licensing regime.
Somkiat, vice president of the Thailand Development Research Institute, said the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) should auction off only a few licences, in order to ensure genuine bidding competition.
It should also set a high auction price aimed at private telecom operators, which plan to migrate customers from the concessions to the licences to save on regulatory costs. Somkiat believes no newcomers will enter the bidding, only incumbent telecom operators.
He cited analysts' reports that both state-concession owenrs TOT and CAT Telecom would earn a combined Bt150 billion to Bt180 billion in concession fees between now and the end of the concession period in six years.
Both state agencies will lose some of this if their private concessionaires move to the licences.
He made the comments during taping of the "Long Oey Yang Ngai" (How It Will End) Television programme on Channel 11. The other guest speaker on the programme was NTC commissioner Sethaporn Cusripituck.
Sethaporn said the NTC's board might switch to auctioning only one or maybe even three licences if necessary, instead of four as planned now.
The NTC board will finalise auction details at its meeting next Wednesday and put them to a second public hearing at the end of the month.
Recently, TOT expressed concern that private cellular concessionaires might migrate customers from the concessions to the licences, to save on regulatory costs. This would hurt TOT, CAT and the state coffers financially.
Private mobile-phone concessionaires pay about 20 per cent of their revenue in concession fees, while the annual 3G licences is estimated to cost them 6.5 per cent of revenue.
But Somkiat said it did not have to be the case that a high auction price for a licence would prompt the winning bidders to pass that cost on to consumers later.
The NTC could set a maximum service price.
Moreover, if the 3G fee were too high, consumers would not use the service.
He said capital used in the investment had no "nationality."
What should however be scrutinised is whether the investment can provide the best service to customers.
During the NTC's 3G public hearing last month, True Corp, parent of True Move, criticised the agency for ignoring the foreign-owernership issue in the 3G auction and said the NTC should not award the licences to foreign firms.
True said the auction favoured larger firms over smaller ones.
Somkiat quoted from a book that said often when national leaders felt themselves to be on shaky ground and could not address the problem head on, they fanned feelings of nationalism to boost their popularity.
"Recently, TOT expressed concern that private cellular concessionaires might migrate customers from the concessions to the licences, to save on regulatory costs. This would hurt TOT, CAT and the state coffers financially.
He said that way, the licensing would not be regarded by the public as a means to helping private telecom operators move away from state concession towards the licensing regime.
Somkiat, vice president of the Thailand Development Research Institute, said the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) should auction off only a few licences, in order to ensure genuine bidding competition.
It should also set a high auction price aimed at private telecom operators, which plan to migrate customers from the concessions to the licences to save on regulatory costs. Somkiat believes no newcomers will enter the bidding, only incumbent telecom operators.
He cited analysts' reports that both state-concession owenrs TOT and CAT Telecom would earn a combined Bt150 billion to Bt180 billion in concession fees between now and the end of the concession period in six years.
Both state agencies will lose some of this if their private concessionaires move to the licences.
He made the comments during taping of the "Long Oey Yang Ngai" (How It Will End) Television programme on Channel 11. The other guest speaker on the programme was NTC commissioner Sethaporn Cusripituck.
Sethaporn said the NTC's board might switch to auctioning only one or maybe even three licences if necessary, instead of four as planned now.
The NTC board will finalise auction details at its meeting next Wednesday and put them to a second public hearing at the end of the month.
Recently, TOT expressed concern that private cellular concessionaires might migrate customers from the concessions to the licences, to save on regulatory costs. This would hurt TOT, CAT and the state coffers financially.
Private mobile-phone concessionaires pay about 20 per cent of their revenue in concession fees, while the annual 3G licences is estimated to cost them 6.5 per cent of revenue.
But Somkiat said it did not have to be the case that a high auction price for a licence would prompt the winning bidders to pass that cost on to consumers later.
The NTC could set a maximum service price.
Moreover, if the 3G fee were too high, consumers would not use the service.
He said capital used in the investment had no "nationality."
What should however be scrutinised is whether the investment can provide the best service to customers.
During the NTC's 3G public hearing last month, True Corp, parent of True Move, criticised the agency for ignoring the foreign-owernership issue in the 3G auction and said the NTC should not award the licences to foreign firms.
True said the auction favoured larger firms over smaller ones.
Somkiat quoted from a book that said often when national leaders felt themselves to be on shaky ground and could not address the problem head on, they fanned feelings of nationalism to boost their popularity.
"Recently, TOT expressed concern that private cellular concessionaires might migrate customers from the concessions to the licences, to save on regulatory costs. This would hurt TOT, CAT and the state coffers financially.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
NTC may lower bid price
The national telecom regulator's board might set a starting bid price for a 3G-2.1GHz-spectrum licence at lower than US$100 million (Bt3.33 billion), a source at the National telecommunications Commission (NTC) said.
The source said that some commissioners proposed in the recent board meeting that the starting price range should be between $50 million and almost $100 million per licence.
All the commissioners agreed that the starting bid should be different from the reserve price. The reserve price is the minimum amount the watchdog expects to gain from each of the auctioned licences.
The board will convene next week to conclude the amount of the starting bid price and the reserve price, the source added.
The NTC will auction four 3G licences.
The NTC members have kept insisting that the overall licence cost would not be too high so as to avoid hurting the bidders financially.
The NTC will hold the second public hearing on the conditions of auctioning the 3G licences at the end of this month. One topic is the contingency plan for the case in which the number of qualified bidders is less than or the same as the available licences. In this case, there would be no genuine competition in the auction.
NTC deputy secretary-general Prasert Apipunya said the contingency plan had three optional measures: put off the auction; the NTC could set a fixed licence price at the auction time and award the licences to the bidders that can pay for them; or the NTC would reduce the number of available licences to promote real bidding competition.
The NTC recently held the first mock-up auction to prepare potential bidders to understand the auction proces.s
Advanced Info Service's chief executive officer Wichian Mektrakarn said AIS had hired consulting firm Detacon to advise its 3G-licence bidding. He said AIS won the licence bid in the mock-up auction. AIS targeted the licence with 15MHz bandwidth and "won" it after quoting $173 million.
In the mock-up auction, the NTC set the starting price of the licence with 15MHz bandwidth at $150 million and the other three licences, each featuring 10MHz bandwidth, at $100 million.
The source said that some commissioners proposed in the recent board meeting that the starting price range should be between $50 million and almost $100 million per licence.
All the commissioners agreed that the starting bid should be different from the reserve price. The reserve price is the minimum amount the watchdog expects to gain from each of the auctioned licences.
The board will convene next week to conclude the amount of the starting bid price and the reserve price, the source added.
The NTC will auction four 3G licences.
The NTC members have kept insisting that the overall licence cost would not be too high so as to avoid hurting the bidders financially.
The NTC will hold the second public hearing on the conditions of auctioning the 3G licences at the end of this month. One topic is the contingency plan for the case in which the number of qualified bidders is less than or the same as the available licences. In this case, there would be no genuine competition in the auction.
NTC deputy secretary-general Prasert Apipunya said the contingency plan had three optional measures: put off the auction; the NTC could set a fixed licence price at the auction time and award the licences to the bidders that can pay for them; or the NTC would reduce the number of available licences to promote real bidding competition.
The NTC recently held the first mock-up auction to prepare potential bidders to understand the auction proces.s
Advanced Info Service's chief executive officer Wichian Mektrakarn said AIS had hired consulting firm Detacon to advise its 3G-licence bidding. He said AIS won the licence bid in the mock-up auction. AIS targeted the licence with 15MHz bandwidth and "won" it after quoting $173 million.
In the mock-up auction, the NTC set the starting price of the licence with 15MHz bandwidth at $150 million and the other three licences, each featuring 10MHz bandwidth, at $100 million.
Friday, September 25, 2009
NECTEC PROGRAMME DEVELOPS ELECTRONIC AIDS
The Assistive Technology Programme of the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre has developed a road map gicing direction to its efforts to create equality for disabled people and increase their quality of life.
Programme director Wantanee Phantachat said her organisation's work had been divided into four areas: mobility, communication, information- and communications-technology access and living independently.
In the area of the mobility, the programme is researching and developing a leg prosthesis for people whose need extends to an artificial knee joint. Using reverse engineering, it expects to develop a prototype with the help of local partners and donduct clinical trials this year.
The programme is also negotiating with potential private-sector partners who will be able to transfer knowledge in the process of developing the prosthesis as an industrial trial before developing it for commercial production whithin the next few years.
"We expect the programme and the partnership to be able to produce a leg prosthesis that is affordable - perhaps half the price of international products," Wantanee said.
She said in the second area, communication, the programme was negotiating with Chiang Mai University for development of clinical trials of a digital hearing aid that waks bundled with Bluetooth and microphone functions. The goal was to develop hearing aids for local people with hearing problems.
"We are developing a digital hearing-aid device bundled with assistive hearing systems and Bluetooth tehcnology and expect it to be finished by the end of next year," Wantanee said.
For people with learning disabilities, the programme is planning to develop an electronic device that incorporates wor prediction, spelling checks and a talking word processor. This will help children and people who have problems comprehending normal communications.
Finally, in order to help disabled people live independent lives, the programme is developing environmental control units, or electronic devices that use infrared and radio frequencies to remotely switch home electrical appliances on and off and transmit alert or emergency calls to relatives, parents or neighbours in the case of accidents.
As well, the programme is developing "telerahabilitation" for disabled people via the Internet. It is expected to be available in the near future.
"We are working with partners to develop local assistive-technology devices that will reduce the costs of importing these products as well as helping disabled people to enjoy a better quality of life," Wantanee said.
Earlier this year, the Nation Telecommunications Commission (NTC) signed a memorial of understanding with the Thailand Association for the Blind, implementing a project that will provide access to DaisyDigital Accessible Information. Callers to a four-digit telephone number will receive an automatic feed of DaisyDigital talking content. The project targets about 200,000 people with visual impariment and about 600,000 with reading disabilities.
The memorandum also provides for training of trainers in the use of computers and information technology and in the production of media and content for the blind.
Programme director Wantanee Phantachat said her organisation's work had been divided into four areas: mobility, communication, information- and communications-technology access and living independently.
In the area of the mobility, the programme is researching and developing a leg prosthesis for people whose need extends to an artificial knee joint. Using reverse engineering, it expects to develop a prototype with the help of local partners and donduct clinical trials this year.
The programme is also negotiating with potential private-sector partners who will be able to transfer knowledge in the process of developing the prosthesis as an industrial trial before developing it for commercial production whithin the next few years.
"We expect the programme and the partnership to be able to produce a leg prosthesis that is affordable - perhaps half the price of international products," Wantanee said.
She said in the second area, communication, the programme was negotiating with Chiang Mai University for development of clinical trials of a digital hearing aid that waks bundled with Bluetooth and microphone functions. The goal was to develop hearing aids for local people with hearing problems.
"We are developing a digital hearing-aid device bundled with assistive hearing systems and Bluetooth tehcnology and expect it to be finished by the end of next year," Wantanee said.
For people with learning disabilities, the programme is planning to develop an electronic device that incorporates wor prediction, spelling checks and a talking word processor. This will help children and people who have problems comprehending normal communications.
Finally, in order to help disabled people live independent lives, the programme is developing environmental control units, or electronic devices that use infrared and radio frequencies to remotely switch home electrical appliances on and off and transmit alert or emergency calls to relatives, parents or neighbours in the case of accidents.
As well, the programme is developing "telerahabilitation" for disabled people via the Internet. It is expected to be available in the near future.
"We are working with partners to develop local assistive-technology devices that will reduce the costs of importing these products as well as helping disabled people to enjoy a better quality of life," Wantanee said.
Earlier this year, the Nation Telecommunications Commission (NTC) signed a memorial of understanding with the Thailand Association for the Blind, implementing a project that will provide access to DaisyDigital Accessible Information. Callers to a four-digit telephone number will receive an automatic feed of DaisyDigital talking content. The project targets about 200,000 people with visual impariment and about 600,000 with reading disabilities.
The memorandum also provides for training of trainers in the use of computers and information technology and in the production of media and content for the blind.
JUDGE BELIEVES TOT'S CASE AGAINST NTC SHOULD BE DISMISSED, SAYS SOURCE
The Central Administrative Court judge overseeing the TOT complaint against the national telecom regulator for violating the Telecom Act believes the case should be dismissed.
A source yesterday said the judge felt the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) had complied with its regulations in ordering TOT to integrate - or "translate" - all of the new phone numbers of other networks into its network system.
The judge yesterday read his opinion on the case to a quorum of judges, TOT, all six NTC members, NTC secretary-general Suranan Wongvithayakamjorn and representatives of True Move and Total Access Communication (DTAC).
The NTC members are the first defendants, Suranan is the second defendant and True Move and DTAC are the third defendants.
Court procedure dictates the judge overseeing a case will read his opinion to a quorum of judges considering the case. They will deliver a verdict later, which can either uphold or differ from the opinion of the judge overseeing the case.
The source said the court would deliver its verdict in the case on October 9.
A telecom company needs all other operators to integrate, or "translate", its new numbers into their switching systems, so that the numbers are recognised by the other networks.
The dispute began in January 2007, when DTAC asked the Central Administrative Court to issue an injunction against TOT because it refused to integrate each of the 1.5 million new phone numbers from DTAC - and True Move - into its network.
TOT's refusal to register the new numbers means calls from TOT's telephones cannot reach the new numbers belonging to DTAC and True Move.
The court later issued an injunction ordering TOT to connect its subscribers to DTAC's new phone users, in order to avoid problems for consumers. That ruling remains in effect until the case has been completely investigated or the court decides otherwise.
At the same time, the NTC also ordered TOT to translate the new numbers into the state agency's system, prompting TOT to accuse the NTC of violating the Telecom Act.
TOT said while the law required telecom licensees to allow other licensees access to their networks, TOT did not regard DTAC and True Move as NTC licensees.
A source yesterday said the judge felt the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) had complied with its regulations in ordering TOT to integrate - or "translate" - all of the new phone numbers of other networks into its network system.
The judge yesterday read his opinion on the case to a quorum of judges, TOT, all six NTC members, NTC secretary-general Suranan Wongvithayakamjorn and representatives of True Move and Total Access Communication (DTAC).
The NTC members are the first defendants, Suranan is the second defendant and True Move and DTAC are the third defendants.
Court procedure dictates the judge overseeing a case will read his opinion to a quorum of judges considering the case. They will deliver a verdict later, which can either uphold or differ from the opinion of the judge overseeing the case.
The source said the court would deliver its verdict in the case on October 9.
A telecom company needs all other operators to integrate, or "translate", its new numbers into their switching systems, so that the numbers are recognised by the other networks.
The dispute began in January 2007, when DTAC asked the Central Administrative Court to issue an injunction against TOT because it refused to integrate each of the 1.5 million new phone numbers from DTAC - and True Move - into its network.
TOT's refusal to register the new numbers means calls from TOT's telephones cannot reach the new numbers belonging to DTAC and True Move.
The court later issued an injunction ordering TOT to connect its subscribers to DTAC's new phone users, in order to avoid problems for consumers. That ruling remains in effect until the case has been completely investigated or the court decides otherwise.
At the same time, the NTC also ordered TOT to translate the new numbers into the state agency's system, prompting TOT to accuse the NTC of violating the Telecom Act.
TOT said while the law required telecom licensees to allow other licensees access to their networks, TOT did not regard DTAC and True Move as NTC licensees.
Sound familiar?
Your TOT crossed its heart and hoped to die if it fails to have actual third-generation mobile phone service in a little corner of Bangkok before New Year's Eve; Vichien Narkseenuan, the firm's senior executive president for vice, said he expects to sign a deal Real Soon Now with a socalled mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that will carry the TOT service,although no names, please; Mr Vichien promised "about" 500,000 numbers would be available; real yuppiephone networks scoffed at the TOT offer to let them in on the deal, because they fear that if they rent a network now, the National Telecommunications Commission won't let them bid for a licence to run their own 3G services.
Vichien Narkseenuan, the senior executive president of vice for your TOT ,said that the state monopoly plans to open a third-generation (3G) phone service with 100,000 numbers, and serving the entire country; TOT has no intention of building its own base stations,though, and will rent them from real phone companies; Mr Vichien forgot to mention when this nationwide 3G service might start for the lucky 100,000.
The National Telecommunications Commission announced it will open public hearings on third generation phones next Monday; Prasert Aphipunya, secretary in charge of vice for the NTC, said you should bring along a large truck load of money if you want to start the bidding for licences, say,oh, somewhere around 10 billion-witha-"b" baht; after next weeks' hearing,there will be a notice in the Royal Gazette ,and actual bidding for four (and only four) available licences may open as early as December; rules on all of this should be up on the NTC's website by now at www.ntc.co.th.
For the third time in a row, the strug-gling TT&T company won a multibillion-baht lawsuit against your TOT and for the third time in a row your TOT told them to pound sand; this time,an agree-upon arbitrator decided that TOT owed the up-country phone provider 2.3 billion baht in misguided revenue sharing for long distance calls;but TOT president Varut Suvakorn rejected the arbitration and told TT&T,"See ya in court, boys"; in case the Administrative Court rules against TOT yet again, Mr Varut said he was pretty sure the state firm didn't have that kind of money to pay off anyhow; TT&T explained that lawsuit number four is about to be filed.
No 2 yuppiephone firm DTAC of Norway opened its new headquarters in new Chamchuri Square , bragging that it spent one billion baht on the 19-floor (!) digs; all 3,200 DTAC employees relocated from the Chai Building to the new location at the Sam Yan intersection,overlooking Chulalongkorn University;CEO Tore Johnsen signed a 10-year lease for the 61,160-square-metre office,which includes the firm's main call centre; Mr Johnsen said new staff will work harder to pay the extra rent money; the kicker is that DTAC is asking the following price for the Chai Building one billion baht; Mr Johnsen said that DTAC was pressing ahead aggressively on its 3G trials and so on and etc and zzzzzzz.
Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul, apparently unaware that you can't spell "Thaksin" without "hub", said that Asean should become the energy exporting hub of the world; no, really,his reasoning is that Southeast Asia has so much food that it can make biofuels galore and sell it to the world at Arabesque profits; not only does Southeast Asia (sic) have a lot of extra food to feed the world's cars, it's, well, better "higher yields and more commercially viable for biofuel than corn and beetroot" from the US and Europe; to coin a phrase, in the klongs there are fish and in the fields there are biofuels.
Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul called in state firms and phuyai of the private sector for a heart-to-heart joint statement that everyone would cooperate on saving energy; this year's spin is that the programme will "save"100 billion baht, and Mr Wannarat got away unchallenged with a claim that a similar project last year saved 30 billion baht; the deal is that the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) and so on - 30,000 firms altogether - will work on conservation, purchase green technology and so on, and in return they will get some tax breaks and subsidies on loans taken through the energy services company fund (Esco); the minister is looking for one billion baht to fund Esco this year.
Vichien Narkseenuan, the senior executive president of vice for your TOT ,said that the state monopoly plans to open a third-generation (3G) phone service with 100,000 numbers, and serving the entire country; TOT has no intention of building its own base stations,though, and will rent them from real phone companies; Mr Vichien forgot to mention when this nationwide 3G service might start for the lucky 100,000.
The National Telecommunications Commission announced it will open public hearings on third generation phones next Monday; Prasert Aphipunya, secretary in charge of vice for the NTC, said you should bring along a large truck load of money if you want to start the bidding for licences, say,oh, somewhere around 10 billion-witha-"b" baht; after next weeks' hearing,there will be a notice in the Royal Gazette ,and actual bidding for four (and only four) available licences may open as early as December; rules on all of this should be up on the NTC's website by now at www.ntc.co.th.
For the third time in a row, the strug-gling TT&T company won a multibillion-baht lawsuit against your TOT and for the third time in a row your TOT told them to pound sand; this time,an agree-upon arbitrator decided that TOT owed the up-country phone provider 2.3 billion baht in misguided revenue sharing for long distance calls;but TOT president Varut Suvakorn rejected the arbitration and told TT&T,"See ya in court, boys"; in case the Administrative Court rules against TOT yet again, Mr Varut said he was pretty sure the state firm didn't have that kind of money to pay off anyhow; TT&T explained that lawsuit number four is about to be filed.
No 2 yuppiephone firm DTAC of Norway opened its new headquarters in new Chamchuri Square , bragging that it spent one billion baht on the 19-floor (!) digs; all 3,200 DTAC employees relocated from the Chai Building to the new location at the Sam Yan intersection,overlooking Chulalongkorn University;CEO Tore Johnsen signed a 10-year lease for the 61,160-square-metre office,which includes the firm's main call centre; Mr Johnsen said new staff will work harder to pay the extra rent money; the kicker is that DTAC is asking the following price for the Chai Building one billion baht; Mr Johnsen said that DTAC was pressing ahead aggressively on its 3G trials and so on and etc and zzzzzzz.
Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul, apparently unaware that you can't spell "Thaksin" without "hub", said that Asean should become the energy exporting hub of the world; no, really,his reasoning is that Southeast Asia has so much food that it can make biofuels galore and sell it to the world at Arabesque profits; not only does Southeast Asia (sic) have a lot of extra food to feed the world's cars, it's, well, better "higher yields and more commercially viable for biofuel than corn and beetroot" from the US and Europe; to coin a phrase, in the klongs there are fish and in the fields there are biofuels.
Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul called in state firms and phuyai of the private sector for a heart-to-heart joint statement that everyone would cooperate on saving energy; this year's spin is that the programme will "save"100 billion baht, and Mr Wannarat got away unchallenged with a claim that a similar project last year saved 30 billion baht; the deal is that the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) and so on - 30,000 firms altogether - will work on conservation, purchase green technology and so on, and in return they will get some tax breaks and subsidies on loans taken through the energy services company fund (Esco); the minister is looking for one billion baht to fund Esco this year.
A piece of the action
And the crowd went wild as Steve "President for Life" Jobs of Apple Computer came out on the stage to emcee the now-annual September music sales pitch, with loads of new stuff; in the biggest news, the iPod Nano got a video camera and FM radio, and Steve showed off the new iTunes Ver 9 management software; he also showed off the iPhone OS 3.1, available for download, which actually recommends apps you might like, has better synching for music and video, and lets you save video from email attachments into your playlist, aka Camera Roll.
Apple cut the prices of its old iPod models just hours ahead of announcing new iPod models; the price of the 32-gigabyte iPod Touch was cut $120 to $279, or 9,500 baht in real money; a 120-gig iPod Classic now costs $229, a $20 cut by the generous folks who run Apple. Palm introduced a smaller,cheaper smartphone than the successful Pre; the Pixi, as it's called, is aimed at younger users; it's slimmer, has a smaller screen, but features a Qwerty keyboard,8GB of memory and a two-megapixel camera.
US President Barack Obama, in a controversial school-time speech to most US children, advised them to be careful about what they put on Facebook and other social networks;"Whatever you do, it will be pulled up again later somewhere in your life," he warned.
First Solar of America signed a contract with the Chinese government to build the world's largest solar power plant in Inner Mongolia; assuming it is built, the Ordos City plant will push out 2,000 megawatts of electricity,around four times the size of the projects being built by the US Army in the Mojave Desert and by First Solar in California;the China project isn't near anything much; Ordos City is a coal-producing,eight-year-old, planned low-carbon development with about 1.5 million residents, roughly 800km west of Beijing.
Networking firm Huawei of China,which has suffered a scandal or two in its Thailand work, was stung to the quick by mean stories in the Australian media that it might be tied to the Chinese espionage services; Guo Fulin, managing director of Huawei in Australia, was hurt by the insensitive stories that his company was under investigation by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation; Huawei is a public-owned company, he said, and it is unthinkable that any government agency would be using Huawei to conduct spying.
The government of Cuba took a huge security gamble, and authorised post offices to provide Internet access to the public - just in case the Cuban government ever authorises the public to use the Internet at some point in the future; the only public access currently allowed is to an inside-Cuba intranet for email, provided by post offices at a cost of the equivalent of 55 baht an hour, in a country where the average wage is 680 baht a month.
Japan fired an unmanned cargo craft into orbit; the 16.5-tonne unmanned H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) is on a mission to re-supply the space station;it will stay up there to continue ferrying stuff to the US shuttle fleet next year.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown publicly apologised for the way that people treated World War Two code-breaker and extraordinary computer geek Alan Turing for being gay; Turing was prosecuted for homosexual conduct in 1952,and a mere two years later, he committed suicide;"I am pleased to have the chance how deeply sorry I and we all are," said Mr Brown.
Google , which plans to give away grazillions of books in order to get the (commercial) goods on its customers,offered to let all its opponents have a piece of the action;Amazon.com , which wants to sell grazillions of books to make tonnes of money directly, scoffed.Rupert Murdoch, the American media mogul, began collecting money at the tollgate to his news sites, in an interesting experiment to see if people will actually pay for news on the Net.
IBM, Microsoft, Oracle Corp and Google all responded to a plaintive "Help" from the Newspaper Association of America on how to get money from customers who don't want to pay for news; Randy Bennett, who is the senior president for vice in newspapers, said he's looking over 11 different proposals on how to squeeze money out of you;Google, to no one's surprise, offered to put all newspapers behind one vast,semi-expensive firewall, because that would be so convenient for everyone to just pay one company one time, and then Google would spread the money around; sure, that ought to work.
South African technology firm Unlimited IT dispatched Winston, a pigeon,from its office in Pietermaritzburg, with some data for its main hub in Durban strapped to the bird's leg; it took Winston one hour and eight minutes to fly the data card; meanwhile, Unlimited IT tried to send the same data via the speedchallenged Internet connections provided by leading Internet Telkom , and that download was four percent finished by the time Winston arrived; so it's not only countries that start with "T" that have Internet problems.
T-Mobile of Germany and Orange of France merged their yuppiephone operations in Britain, creating a new $13.5 billion company with 28.4 mobile phone customers; the Deutsche Telekom-France Telecom venture will be the biggest provider in the UK, with a 37 percent market share, larger than O2 of Telefonica.
Apple cut the prices of its old iPod models just hours ahead of announcing new iPod models; the price of the 32-gigabyte iPod Touch was cut $120 to $279, or 9,500 baht in real money; a 120-gig iPod Classic now costs $229, a $20 cut by the generous folks who run Apple. Palm introduced a smaller,cheaper smartphone than the successful Pre; the Pixi, as it's called, is aimed at younger users; it's slimmer, has a smaller screen, but features a Qwerty keyboard,8GB of memory and a two-megapixel camera.
US President Barack Obama, in a controversial school-time speech to most US children, advised them to be careful about what they put on Facebook and other social networks;"Whatever you do, it will be pulled up again later somewhere in your life," he warned.
First Solar of America signed a contract with the Chinese government to build the world's largest solar power plant in Inner Mongolia; assuming it is built, the Ordos City plant will push out 2,000 megawatts of electricity,around four times the size of the projects being built by the US Army in the Mojave Desert and by First Solar in California;the China project isn't near anything much; Ordos City is a coal-producing,eight-year-old, planned low-carbon development with about 1.5 million residents, roughly 800km west of Beijing.
Networking firm Huawei of China,which has suffered a scandal or two in its Thailand work, was stung to the quick by mean stories in the Australian media that it might be tied to the Chinese espionage services; Guo Fulin, managing director of Huawei in Australia, was hurt by the insensitive stories that his company was under investigation by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation; Huawei is a public-owned company, he said, and it is unthinkable that any government agency would be using Huawei to conduct spying.
The government of Cuba took a huge security gamble, and authorised post offices to provide Internet access to the public - just in case the Cuban government ever authorises the public to use the Internet at some point in the future; the only public access currently allowed is to an inside-Cuba intranet for email, provided by post offices at a cost of the equivalent of 55 baht an hour, in a country where the average wage is 680 baht a month.
Japan fired an unmanned cargo craft into orbit; the 16.5-tonne unmanned H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) is on a mission to re-supply the space station;it will stay up there to continue ferrying stuff to the US shuttle fleet next year.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown publicly apologised for the way that people treated World War Two code-breaker and extraordinary computer geek Alan Turing for being gay; Turing was prosecuted for homosexual conduct in 1952,and a mere two years later, he committed suicide;"I am pleased to have the chance how deeply sorry I and we all are," said Mr Brown.
Google , which plans to give away grazillions of books in order to get the (commercial) goods on its customers,offered to let all its opponents have a piece of the action;Amazon.com , which wants to sell grazillions of books to make tonnes of money directly, scoffed.Rupert Murdoch, the American media mogul, began collecting money at the tollgate to his news sites, in an interesting experiment to see if people will actually pay for news on the Net.
IBM, Microsoft, Oracle Corp and Google all responded to a plaintive "Help" from the Newspaper Association of America on how to get money from customers who don't want to pay for news; Randy Bennett, who is the senior president for vice in newspapers, said he's looking over 11 different proposals on how to squeeze money out of you;Google, to no one's surprise, offered to put all newspapers behind one vast,semi-expensive firewall, because that would be so convenient for everyone to just pay one company one time, and then Google would spread the money around; sure, that ought to work.
South African technology firm Unlimited IT dispatched Winston, a pigeon,from its office in Pietermaritzburg, with some data for its main hub in Durban strapped to the bird's leg; it took Winston one hour and eight minutes to fly the data card; meanwhile, Unlimited IT tried to send the same data via the speedchallenged Internet connections provided by leading Internet Telkom , and that download was four percent finished by the time Winston arrived; so it's not only countries that start with "T" that have Internet problems.
T-Mobile of Germany and Orange of France merged their yuppiephone operations in Britain, creating a new $13.5 billion company with 28.4 mobile phone customers; the Deutsche Telekom-France Telecom venture will be the biggest provider in the UK, with a 37 percent market share, larger than O2 of Telefonica.
The IT gap widens again
It is not so much that Thailand ranked 47th in the world in the most recent Global Information Technology report compiled by the World Economic Forum (WEF). And it is not just that the rankings put Thailand 19 places behind Malaysia and not that far ahead of Vietnam. The part that should hurt was the WEF commentary, straight from the shoulder,that Thailand continues to lose ground in IT competition with the rest of the world. And the analysis put the full blame on the government.
The Global Information Technology Report is a direct measure of each country's competitiveness. It is a "critical enabler of growth", in the words of Klaus Schwab, executive chairman of the WEF, and "is increasingly moving to the core of national competitiveness strategies around the world". But this is exactly the problem. Thai authorities have neither grasped nor encouraged IT development. And in the 21st century,through both perception and results, countries which fail to grasp the opportunity of information technology are letting their citizens down, if not directly dooming them to lack of development.
Last year, Thailand ranked 40th in the world in the global report."Pursuing its downward slide in the ranking, Thailand plunges a further seven positions,"the report's editors wrote."Behind this negative trend is the continuous worsening of the country's performance in all the government-related indicators." That leaves little wriggle room for a government that has had nothing to brag about in the IT field anyhow. And there is plenty of blame to go around. The last two Puea Thai and People's Power administrations lacked in IT motivation and leadership as well.
The current Democrat-led government, however,has proved the WEF's words to be true. When he was forming his coalition government early this year, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva made the ill-advised, ultimately harmful decision to turn the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology into one of the lowest political-payoff posts. The appointed minister, Ranongruk Suwunchwee, already had a double fault. She has no experience in the field of IT or in managing technology experts. Worse in some eyes, her husband Pairoj was banned from politics for five years in the Thai Rak Thai court decision, and she is widely seen as his surrogate and proxy.
Mrs Ranongruk has managed to survive seven months as minister without making a public decision on IT.Staff of the state-owned telecommunications agencies TOT and CAT Telecom have publicly demonstrated against her lack of action. All levels of the IT industry have lost faith in the ICT Ministry to push information technology for the public good, whether in the schools,the markets, in business or even in government.
Mrs Ranongruk has retreated behind her office door.Instead of pushing for IT development, she has enthusiastically taken on the role of official Thailand censor.She has banned more than 17,000 websites for real and imagined violations of her personal view of politics and national security. Recently, she has tried, often successfully, to block access to websites that are nothing but political argument, in gross violation of freedom of speech and the press.
The WEF has got it exactly right. The government,through numerous sins of commission and omission,has harmed the development of IT and thus the country.Thailand needs an ICT minister able to send the message that IT is necessary for healthy economic growth. If the government fails to get behind such a push, Thailand will continue to drop in the competitive rankings.
The Global Information Technology Report is a direct measure of each country's competitiveness. It is a "critical enabler of growth", in the words of Klaus Schwab, executive chairman of the WEF, and "is increasingly moving to the core of national competitiveness strategies around the world". But this is exactly the problem. Thai authorities have neither grasped nor encouraged IT development. And in the 21st century,through both perception and results, countries which fail to grasp the opportunity of information technology are letting their citizens down, if not directly dooming them to lack of development.
Last year, Thailand ranked 40th in the world in the global report."Pursuing its downward slide in the ranking, Thailand plunges a further seven positions,"the report's editors wrote."Behind this negative trend is the continuous worsening of the country's performance in all the government-related indicators." That leaves little wriggle room for a government that has had nothing to brag about in the IT field anyhow. And there is plenty of blame to go around. The last two Puea Thai and People's Power administrations lacked in IT motivation and leadership as well.
The current Democrat-led government, however,has proved the WEF's words to be true. When he was forming his coalition government early this year, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva made the ill-advised, ultimately harmful decision to turn the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology into one of the lowest political-payoff posts. The appointed minister, Ranongruk Suwunchwee, already had a double fault. She has no experience in the field of IT or in managing technology experts. Worse in some eyes, her husband Pairoj was banned from politics for five years in the Thai Rak Thai court decision, and she is widely seen as his surrogate and proxy.
Mrs Ranongruk has managed to survive seven months as minister without making a public decision on IT.Staff of the state-owned telecommunications agencies TOT and CAT Telecom have publicly demonstrated against her lack of action. All levels of the IT industry have lost faith in the ICT Ministry to push information technology for the public good, whether in the schools,the markets, in business or even in government.
Mrs Ranongruk has retreated behind her office door.Instead of pushing for IT development, she has enthusiastically taken on the role of official Thailand censor.She has banned more than 17,000 websites for real and imagined violations of her personal view of politics and national security. Recently, she has tried, often successfully, to block access to websites that are nothing but political argument, in gross violation of freedom of speech and the press.
The WEF has got it exactly right. The government,through numerous sins of commission and omission,has harmed the development of IT and thus the country.Thailand needs an ICT minister able to send the message that IT is necessary for healthy economic growth. If the government fails to get behind such a push, Thailand will continue to drop in the competitive rankings.
Intel urges PM to boost rural web
ICT is helping the Government in its economic stimulus package by encouraging smarter spending, paving the future for Thailand in a competitive global environment, said Navin Shenoy,Vice President, Sales and Marketing Group and general manager Asia Pacific region, Intel Corporation.
Navin shared his view during a visit from Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva,during which he praised the stimulus package as a bold and progressive initiative, especially as it has an IT-centric focus in the area of education. Spending on computer usage has been increased,so that there is now a ratio of 20 students per computer, up from the previous average of 40 to 1.
Navin said the Government should consider investing in a nationwide digital infrastructure."Broadband is a basic utility of the 21st century and the future of Thai society and the economy depends on this because 1 percent of broadband penetration drives 1 percent of the GDP," he said. IT creates smarter infrastructure
The executive who used to work as technical assistant to Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini, continued that IT can also help the government transform many business sectors.
For example, implementing a wireless network on the railways or modernising the energy distribution system would create a "smart grid" from where electricity waste could be monitored,encouraging consumers to be more efficient in their electric usage at home,bringing down energy consumption and easing the strain on the environment. This could also help modernise heath care services and public hospital facilities.
"I have seen the Chinese and US governments invest in an IT smart grid for health care and I sees opportunities here in Thailand as well," added Navin.Wi-Max crucial for rural development
The digital divide is another important aspect and further investment in IT can aid rural development, which is crucial for Thailand. Getting broadband into rural areas with Wi-Max (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) technology will help lower the cost of internet usage upcountry.
The National Telecommunication Commission of Thailand said it is important Thailand does not delay because Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines have already implemented Wi-Max, while Vietnam and Indonesia are working on it.
Several countries offer funding and tax incentive to accelerate use of IT in rural areas. For example, China offers tax rebates to farmers who buy computers, while India has set a target to bring Internet access to 6,000 villages within three years.
Navin continued:"Intel invests in forms of equity in service operators in many countries like Malaysia, Japan,Russia and USA. There are many issues to consider, including government commitment, return on investment and size of the market.
"At this stage, Thailand's first priority should be to make frequency available and then open it to auction, with a vision to have five million broadband users by the end of 2010."ICT rebound back on track
The Vice President also anticipates that a recovery in the global economy and a more stable political environment in Thailand will boost confidence and encourage IT spending.
Over the next 12 months, many businesses are expected to renew their existing computers to reduce their manageability costs and increase security.
Navin said:"We think that 4 or 5 years is the optimal cycle for PCs because maintenance costs in the fifth year and beyond can hit $1,000(34,000 baht), which is more than the cost of buying a new computer.
"The laptop market in Thailand has grown 25 percent this year, which shows the continuing demand for computers and ICT despite economic difficulties."
Navin shared his view during a visit from Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva,during which he praised the stimulus package as a bold and progressive initiative, especially as it has an IT-centric focus in the area of education. Spending on computer usage has been increased,so that there is now a ratio of 20 students per computer, up from the previous average of 40 to 1.
Navin said the Government should consider investing in a nationwide digital infrastructure."Broadband is a basic utility of the 21st century and the future of Thai society and the economy depends on this because 1 percent of broadband penetration drives 1 percent of the GDP," he said. IT creates smarter infrastructure
The executive who used to work as technical assistant to Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini, continued that IT can also help the government transform many business sectors.
For example, implementing a wireless network on the railways or modernising the energy distribution system would create a "smart grid" from where electricity waste could be monitored,encouraging consumers to be more efficient in their electric usage at home,bringing down energy consumption and easing the strain on the environment. This could also help modernise heath care services and public hospital facilities.
"I have seen the Chinese and US governments invest in an IT smart grid for health care and I sees opportunities here in Thailand as well," added Navin.Wi-Max crucial for rural development
The digital divide is another important aspect and further investment in IT can aid rural development, which is crucial for Thailand. Getting broadband into rural areas with Wi-Max (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) technology will help lower the cost of internet usage upcountry.
The National Telecommunication Commission of Thailand said it is important Thailand does not delay because Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines have already implemented Wi-Max, while Vietnam and Indonesia are working on it.
Several countries offer funding and tax incentive to accelerate use of IT in rural areas. For example, China offers tax rebates to farmers who buy computers, while India has set a target to bring Internet access to 6,000 villages within three years.
Navin continued:"Intel invests in forms of equity in service operators in many countries like Malaysia, Japan,Russia and USA. There are many issues to consider, including government commitment, return on investment and size of the market.
"At this stage, Thailand's first priority should be to make frequency available and then open it to auction, with a vision to have five million broadband users by the end of 2010."ICT rebound back on track
The Vice President also anticipates that a recovery in the global economy and a more stable political environment in Thailand will boost confidence and encourage IT spending.
Over the next 12 months, many businesses are expected to renew their existing computers to reduce their manageability costs and increase security.
Navin said:"We think that 4 or 5 years is the optimal cycle for PCs because maintenance costs in the fifth year and beyond can hit $1,000(34,000 baht), which is more than the cost of buying a new computer.
"The laptop market in Thailand has grown 25 percent this year, which shows the continuing demand for computers and ICT despite economic difficulties."
AIS consults watchdog on 3G bid uncertainty
Advanced Info Service has consulted the national telecom regulator |in a bid to clear up uncertainty over whether it will be eligible to bid for a 3G-2.1GHz licence if it provides the 3G service via another telecom operator's network on a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) basis.
AIS chief executive officer Wichian Mektrakarn yesterday said the National Telecommunications Commission had replied that its members would discuss the matter before replying. The watchdog might give an answer at the public hearing on the guidelines for the auction of 3G licences this coming Monday.
One condition in the auction guidelines states that those involved in 3G-2.1GHz cellular service development are not allowed to bid for 3G-2.1GHz licences from the NTC.
An MVNO is a firm without its own network that has bought |the airtime of a network operator in order to provide a cellular service.
A telecom industry source said TOT, which owns AIS's concession, had approached AIS to provide a 3G cellular service on the MVNO basis via TOT's upcoming 3G network in the greater Bangkok area. AIS has yet to make a decision on the matter.
Recently TOT said four companies were interested in providing 3G service via its upcoming 3G network on an MVNO basis, and that one of the four was a large listed firm. However, it declined to specify the name of the listed company.
TOT is upgrading the existing 1,900MHz network in greater Bangkok to 3G technology. The upgrade is expected to be finished in December.
Besides, it plans to spend more than Bt20 billion on the roll-out of the new 3G network nationwide, pending the Cabinet's approval of its investment plan.
In the last two weeks, the NTC's board decided that TOT would not be allowed to bid for the 3G-2.1GHz licences, given that it owns the 1,900 MHz band, which is part of the 2.1GHz spectrum.
But the NTC will first discuss whether CAT Telecom is eligible to bid for the licences. The Finance Ministry owns 100 per cent of both CAT and TOT.
Samart Corp is one company interested in becoming an MVNO of TOT's upcoming 3G service on the upgraded network. It is in talks with the state agency on a possible MVNO deal.
AIS chief executive officer Wichian Mektrakarn yesterday said the National Telecommunications Commission had replied that its members would discuss the matter before replying. The watchdog might give an answer at the public hearing on the guidelines for the auction of 3G licences this coming Monday.
One condition in the auction guidelines states that those involved in 3G-2.1GHz cellular service development are not allowed to bid for 3G-2.1GHz licences from the NTC.
An MVNO is a firm without its own network that has bought |the airtime of a network operator in order to provide a cellular service.
A telecom industry source said TOT, which owns AIS's concession, had approached AIS to provide a 3G cellular service on the MVNO basis via TOT's upcoming 3G network in the greater Bangkok area. AIS has yet to make a decision on the matter.
Recently TOT said four companies were interested in providing 3G service via its upcoming 3G network on an MVNO basis, and that one of the four was a large listed firm. However, it declined to specify the name of the listed company.
TOT is upgrading the existing 1,900MHz network in greater Bangkok to 3G technology. The upgrade is expected to be finished in December.
Besides, it plans to spend more than Bt20 billion on the roll-out of the new 3G network nationwide, pending the Cabinet's approval of its investment plan.
In the last two weeks, the NTC's board decided that TOT would not be allowed to bid for the 3G-2.1GHz licences, given that it owns the 1,900 MHz band, which is part of the 2.1GHz spectrum.
But the NTC will first discuss whether CAT Telecom is eligible to bid for the licences. The Finance Ministry owns 100 per cent of both CAT and TOT.
Samart Corp is one company interested in becoming an MVNO of TOT's upcoming 3G service on the upgraded network. It is in talks with the state agency on a possible MVNO deal.
FCC stirs old debate on "Internet neutrality"
The head of the US Federal Communications Commission proposed new rules on Monday that would require Internet providers, including wireless carriers, to treat all Web traffic equally.
There are few goals more essential in the communications landscape than preserving and maintaining an open and robust Internet, FCC chairman Julius Genachowski said in a speech at the Brookings Institution.
It is vital that the Internet continue to be an engine of innovation, economic growth, competition and democratic engagement, Genachowski told the Washington-based think tank.
He said the FCC needed to play a role in ensuring network neutrality the principle that Internet service providers (ISPs) provide the same speed and level of service to all Web users, regardless of size.
The new rules would prevent ISPs,for example, from blocking or slowing bandwidth-hogging Web traffic such as streaming video or other applications that put a strain on their networks or from charging different rates to users.
I believe the FCC must be a smart cop on the beat preserving a free and open Internet, Genachowski said.
Anticipating the objections of some ISPs to the move, he said:This is not about government regulation of the Internet. Its about fair rules of the road for companies that control access to the Internet.
The FCC chairman proposed adding two new principles to those currently guiding the regulatory bodys approach to maintaining an open Internet and extending them to wireless carriers.
Genachowski said the first would prevent broadband providers from discriminating against particular Web content or applications while allowing for reasonable network management.
This means they cannot block or degrade lawful traffic over their networks,or pick winners by favouring some content or applications over others, he said.
Nor can they disfavour an Internet service just because it competes with a similar service offered by that broadband provider, Genachowski added.
This principle will not prevent broadband providers from reasonably managing their networks, he said.During periods of network congestion, for example, it may be appropriate for providers to ensure that very heavy users do not crowd out everyone else.
Genachowski also stressed that the open Internet principles apply only to lawful content, services and applications not to activities like unlawful distribution of copyrighted works.
The second principle would ensure that ISPs be transparent about their network management practices, the FCC chief said.
Genachowskis remarks are his first major pronouncement on the hotly contested issue since taking office and are likely to draw fire from ISPs, which have generally resisted interference in management of their networks.
During his White House campaign,President Barack Obama came out strongly in favour of net neutrality, which is backed by companies such as Google,Amazon, Yahoo!, eBay and consumer advocacy groups, but opposed by telecommunications, wireless and cable companies such as AT&T, Verizon and Comcast.
Genachowski said he would like to see the five-member FCC consider the new rules in October and announced that the FCC had launched a website,openinternet.gov, to encourage public participation in the process.
There are few goals more essential in the communications landscape than preserving and maintaining an open and robust Internet, FCC chairman Julius Genachowski said in a speech at the Brookings Institution.
It is vital that the Internet continue to be an engine of innovation, economic growth, competition and democratic engagement, Genachowski told the Washington-based think tank.
He said the FCC needed to play a role in ensuring network neutrality the principle that Internet service providers (ISPs) provide the same speed and level of service to all Web users, regardless of size.
The new rules would prevent ISPs,for example, from blocking or slowing bandwidth-hogging Web traffic such as streaming video or other applications that put a strain on their networks or from charging different rates to users.
I believe the FCC must be a smart cop on the beat preserving a free and open Internet, Genachowski said.
Anticipating the objections of some ISPs to the move, he said:This is not about government regulation of the Internet. Its about fair rules of the road for companies that control access to the Internet.
The FCC chairman proposed adding two new principles to those currently guiding the regulatory bodys approach to maintaining an open Internet and extending them to wireless carriers.
Genachowski said the first would prevent broadband providers from discriminating against particular Web content or applications while allowing for reasonable network management.
This means they cannot block or degrade lawful traffic over their networks,or pick winners by favouring some content or applications over others, he said.
Nor can they disfavour an Internet service just because it competes with a similar service offered by that broadband provider, Genachowski added.
This principle will not prevent broadband providers from reasonably managing their networks, he said.During periods of network congestion, for example, it may be appropriate for providers to ensure that very heavy users do not crowd out everyone else.
Genachowski also stressed that the open Internet principles apply only to lawful content, services and applications not to activities like unlawful distribution of copyrighted works.
The second principle would ensure that ISPs be transparent about their network management practices, the FCC chief said.
Genachowskis remarks are his first major pronouncement on the hotly contested issue since taking office and are likely to draw fire from ISPs, which have generally resisted interference in management of their networks.
During his White House campaign,President Barack Obama came out strongly in favour of net neutrality, which is backed by companies such as Google,Amazon, Yahoo!, eBay and consumer advocacy groups, but opposed by telecommunications, wireless and cable companies such as AT&T, Verizon and Comcast.
Genachowski said he would like to see the five-member FCC consider the new rules in October and announced that the FCC had launched a website,openinternet.gov, to encourage public participation in the process.
Broadband use low as access limited
Inconvenient access to core fixed and mobile networks and high service fees are the reasons for the low penetration rate of broadband internet usage, says Pitjapol Jantanasaro, the vice-secretary of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).
He said if current broadband service fees starting at 590 baht per month could be lowered to 300-400 baht, it would stimulate more internet use, similar to the mobile phone market's experience.
Average mobile phone usage fees have dropped to about 200 baht per month,leading to widespread use in almost 100%of the country. Broadband internet usage remains low at 1.6% even though one million households have internet access.
Anuparb Thilalarp, a telecom expert,said internet access was still monopolised by Type 3 operators, or operators that have their own networks, while Type 1 and Type 2(those that do not own a network) could not reach end users because they were blocked or deterred by the competing Type 3 operators.
He said Type 3 operators use their networks to serve their customers rather than leasing them to other ISPs to provide service that competes with them.
"It is not unusual that we have more than 100 ISPs that service corporate customers but not the general public because they have no LAN lines or mobile networks," Mr Anuparb said. He added that broadband service was not competitive yet and prices have not dipped much.
He also blamed poor enforcement of the interconnection charge system for operators as another reason for low broadband use, although the charge became effective three years ago.
Mr Anuparb said recent research showed the operating cost for 1MB of broadband was just 150 baht per month,440 baht less than operators charge on average now.
He then called on the government to help ease the cost of building internet access networks so that ISPs could provide broadband at a minimum of 300 baht per month. The fee was compared to monthly usage of mobile phones, to which everyone now has access.
He said if current broadband service fees starting at 590 baht per month could be lowered to 300-400 baht, it would stimulate more internet use, similar to the mobile phone market's experience.
Average mobile phone usage fees have dropped to about 200 baht per month,leading to widespread use in almost 100%of the country. Broadband internet usage remains low at 1.6% even though one million households have internet access.
Anuparb Thilalarp, a telecom expert,said internet access was still monopolised by Type 3 operators, or operators that have their own networks, while Type 1 and Type 2(those that do not own a network) could not reach end users because they were blocked or deterred by the competing Type 3 operators.
He said Type 3 operators use their networks to serve their customers rather than leasing them to other ISPs to provide service that competes with them.
"It is not unusual that we have more than 100 ISPs that service corporate customers but not the general public because they have no LAN lines or mobile networks," Mr Anuparb said. He added that broadband service was not competitive yet and prices have not dipped much.
He also blamed poor enforcement of the interconnection charge system for operators as another reason for low broadband use, although the charge became effective three years ago.
Mr Anuparb said recent research showed the operating cost for 1MB of broadband was just 150 baht per month,440 baht less than operators charge on average now.
He then called on the government to help ease the cost of building internet access networks so that ISPs could provide broadband at a minimum of 300 baht per month. The fee was compared to monthly usage of mobile phones, to which everyone now has access.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
INTEL'S ADVICE FOR FOSTERING GROWTH IN FIELD OF ICT
Giant US-based chipmaker Intel sent a senior executive to meet Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva last week, to urge the Thai government to pay more attention to the improvement of information-and communications-technology education, digital-infrastructure investment and spending on WiMax to bridge the country's digital divide.
Navin Shenoy, general manger for the Asia-Pacific, proposed the expenditure be sourced from the Thai Khemkhaeng project.
He said the government should invest "smartly" in education to allow children throughout the country to have equal access to ICT, to enhance their learning experience.
An improvement in the national digital infrastructure would help to bridge the digital divide by giving people living in rural areas an equal chance to access knowledge.
Shenoy said WiMax, short for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, was a technology suitable for current investment that would help Thailand to move forward quickly.
He said the government's new infrastructure investment should include investment in ICT infrastructure at the same time.
Thailand could also benefit from lower WiMax-investment costs because many countries in the region have been investing in the technology, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia. This will bring the cost of WiMax infrastructure and equiopment down dramatically, he said.
"Rural broadband is a fundamental need for the country's improvement as a whole, and WiMax can play a key role in bringing broadband to the rural areas of Thailand with effective investment," Shenoy said.
However, to make rural broadband a reality, the government first had to make the WiMax spectrum available, with a clear directive. Then, private organisations could build business plans.
"WiMax could be a key factor to drive an increase in Thailand's broadband penetration rate. Every 1 per cent of broadbank penetration equals one per cent of gross-domestic-product growth. Broadband will deliver the utilities [services] that everyone deserves," Shenoy said, adding that the country's economy will be larger if a WiMax infrastructure is laid down throughout rural areas.
"There is an opportunity gap upcountry, and you can see it in the fact the most PC growth is upcountry," he said.
Shenoy suggested that the Thai government could play an important role in making a rural broadband network available in the not-too-distant future by introducing policies, tax incentives and government purchases.
"The availability of broadband infrastructure both in the cities and rural areas would improve Thailand's eduction by giving students equal access to ICT, would improve the country's competitiveness and bridge the digital divide."
To get things moving, Intel has launched a mission it calls "5 by 10", aimed at pushing Thailand to achieve 5 million broadband ports by the end of next year. That goal is consistent with the government's goal to increase the PC penetration rate for students from 40:1 to 20:1 in the next three years.
Shenoy said Intel would support the government's investments with its knowledge, experience and technology transfer. It is not yet committed to any financial investments.
To date, Intel Capital has invested in WiMax in four Asia-Pacitic countries: Taiwan, Japan, Australia and Malaysia. Its investment totals US$ 20 million to $50 million (Bt676 million to Bt1.69 billion).
Navin Shenoy, general manger for the Asia-Pacific, proposed the expenditure be sourced from the Thai Khemkhaeng project.
He said the government should invest "smartly" in education to allow children throughout the country to have equal access to ICT, to enhance their learning experience.
An improvement in the national digital infrastructure would help to bridge the digital divide by giving people living in rural areas an equal chance to access knowledge.
Shenoy said WiMax, short for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, was a technology suitable for current investment that would help Thailand to move forward quickly.
He said the government's new infrastructure investment should include investment in ICT infrastructure at the same time.
Thailand could also benefit from lower WiMax-investment costs because many countries in the region have been investing in the technology, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia. This will bring the cost of WiMax infrastructure and equiopment down dramatically, he said.
"Rural broadband is a fundamental need for the country's improvement as a whole, and WiMax can play a key role in bringing broadband to the rural areas of Thailand with effective investment," Shenoy said.
However, to make rural broadband a reality, the government first had to make the WiMax spectrum available, with a clear directive. Then, private organisations could build business plans.
"WiMax could be a key factor to drive an increase in Thailand's broadband penetration rate. Every 1 per cent of broadbank penetration equals one per cent of gross-domestic-product growth. Broadband will deliver the utilities [services] that everyone deserves," Shenoy said, adding that the country's economy will be larger if a WiMax infrastructure is laid down throughout rural areas.
"There is an opportunity gap upcountry, and you can see it in the fact the most PC growth is upcountry," he said.
Shenoy suggested that the Thai government could play an important role in making a rural broadband network available in the not-too-distant future by introducing policies, tax incentives and government purchases.
"The availability of broadband infrastructure both in the cities and rural areas would improve Thailand's eduction by giving students equal access to ICT, would improve the country's competitiveness and bridge the digital divide."
To get things moving, Intel has launched a mission it calls "5 by 10", aimed at pushing Thailand to achieve 5 million broadband ports by the end of next year. That goal is consistent with the government's goal to increase the PC penetration rate for students from 40:1 to 20:1 in the next three years.
Shenoy said Intel would support the government's investments with its knowledge, experience and technology transfer. It is not yet committed to any financial investments.
To date, Intel Capital has invested in WiMax in four Asia-Pacitic countries: Taiwan, Japan, Australia and Malaysia. Its investment totals US$ 20 million to $50 million (Bt676 million to Bt1.69 billion).
WATCHDOG SET TO REFOCUS ON RULES ENFORCEMENT
The telecom watchdog will step up its enforcement of regulations to ensure fair competition in the Internet access market.
Sethaporn Cusripituck, a member of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), admitted that the regulator, which was set up almost five years ago, has focused too much on developing regulations in the past years. But from now on, it would turn more to the enforcement side.
He made the remark yesterday at the NTC's meeting with Internet service provider licensees to learn if they had any problems after one small ISP complained in the meeting about major network owners.
The ISP said that sometimes the telecoms declined to allow it to lease their networks to provide Internet service in some locations, citing insufficient network capacity.
Article 25 of the Telecom Business Act of 2001 requires licensees with telecom networks to allow other licensees to interconnect with their networks.
They can refuse in some cases such as when their network has insufficient bandwideth or when access by an outside party might cause a technical problem.
The NTC has 107 ISP licensees, of which 84 hold a Type 1 licence, 14 a Type 2 licence and nine a Type 3 licence.
The NTC has extednded the term of the ISP licence to five years from the original one year.
Type 1 is for those without their own dedicated network. while Type 2 is for those either with or without their own network but their competition does not have a significant impact on the public.
Type 3 is for those with large networks, such as cellular operators, whose competition can have a significant wide-scale impact on the public.
According to the NTC, True Corp commanded 38.43 per cent of the broadband Internet service market last year, followed by TT&T with 27.92 per cent, TOT with 27.39 per cent, and the others with a combined 6.26 per cent.
Last year there were 13.4 million dial-up and broadband Internet users in Thailand.
In the first quarter of this year, there were 1.7 million broadband and 7.2 million telephone subscribers.
The broadband Internet market is projected to increase to bt10.5 billion next year from Bt8.5 billion expected this year and Bt6.63 billion recorded last year.
Sethaporn Cusripituck, a member of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), admitted that the regulator, which was set up almost five years ago, has focused too much on developing regulations in the past years. But from now on, it would turn more to the enforcement side.
He made the remark yesterday at the NTC's meeting with Internet service provider licensees to learn if they had any problems after one small ISP complained in the meeting about major network owners.
The ISP said that sometimes the telecoms declined to allow it to lease their networks to provide Internet service in some locations, citing insufficient network capacity.
Article 25 of the Telecom Business Act of 2001 requires licensees with telecom networks to allow other licensees to interconnect with their networks.
They can refuse in some cases such as when their network has insufficient bandwideth or when access by an outside party might cause a technical problem.
The NTC has 107 ISP licensees, of which 84 hold a Type 1 licence, 14 a Type 2 licence and nine a Type 3 licence.
The NTC has extednded the term of the ISP licence to five years from the original one year.
Type 1 is for those without their own dedicated network. while Type 2 is for those either with or without their own network but their competition does not have a significant impact on the public.
Type 3 is for those with large networks, such as cellular operators, whose competition can have a significant wide-scale impact on the public.
According to the NTC, True Corp commanded 38.43 per cent of the broadband Internet service market last year, followed by TT&T with 27.92 per cent, TOT with 27.39 per cent, and the others with a combined 6.26 per cent.
Last year there were 13.4 million dial-up and broadband Internet users in Thailand.
In the first quarter of this year, there were 1.7 million broadband and 7.2 million telephone subscribers.
The broadband Internet market is projected to increase to bt10.5 billion next year from Bt8.5 billion expected this year and Bt6.63 billion recorded last year.
CAT told to avoid 11-digit numbers
The telecom regulator recently warned CAT Telecom to stop the alleged use of 11-digit mobile phone numbers to contact other cellular networks, since no such numbers have yet to be assigned to any network.
Praset Apipunya, deputy secretary-general of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), said the use of 11-digit numbers contravenes the NTC's numbering regulations.
A CAT source said the warning was aimed at Hutchison-CAT Wireless Multimedia but was sent to CAT because CAT, as the licensee of the NTC, was allocated 10-digit mobile phone numbers, which CAT in turn assigned to Hutch to use in marketing its cellular service.
Hutch is a joint venture of CAT and Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecom.
The source said CAT has already asked Hutch if it was providing the service with 11-digit phone numbers but Hutch rejected the claim. CAT will inform the NTC about Hutch's denial.
The NTC's warning states that CAT would face a fine of Bt20,000 per day, if it does not stop the alleged use of 11-digit phone numbers.
All telecom operators get their phone numbers from the NTC. Local mobile phone numbers usually have 10 digits.
The NTC started an investigation in April when it found that 11-digit numbers had been used to call customers of True Move, Advanced Info Service (AIS) and Total Access Communication (DTAC).
In May the NTC ordered CAT to ask Hutch about the case. CAT then informally asked Hutch about the case and Hutch denied it.
In June True Move sought police help to find out what 11-digit mobile phone service was sending calls to its customers. True Move said it wants to protect its network from being contacted by what it calls illegal numbers and that it is also losing interconnection fee income because it does not know which network to charge.
Praset Apipunya, deputy secretary-general of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), said the use of 11-digit numbers contravenes the NTC's numbering regulations.
A CAT source said the warning was aimed at Hutchison-CAT Wireless Multimedia but was sent to CAT because CAT, as the licensee of the NTC, was allocated 10-digit mobile phone numbers, which CAT in turn assigned to Hutch to use in marketing its cellular service.
Hutch is a joint venture of CAT and Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecom.
The source said CAT has already asked Hutch if it was providing the service with 11-digit phone numbers but Hutch rejected the claim. CAT will inform the NTC about Hutch's denial.
The NTC's warning states that CAT would face a fine of Bt20,000 per day, if it does not stop the alleged use of 11-digit phone numbers.
All telecom operators get their phone numbers from the NTC. Local mobile phone numbers usually have 10 digits.
The NTC started an investigation in April when it found that 11-digit numbers had been used to call customers of True Move, Advanced Info Service (AIS) and Total Access Communication (DTAC).
In May the NTC ordered CAT to ask Hutch about the case. CAT then informally asked Hutch about the case and Hutch denied it.
In June True Move sought police help to find out what 11-digit mobile phone service was sending calls to its customers. True Move said it wants to protect its network from being contacted by what it calls illegal numbers and that it is also losing interconnection fee income because it does not know which network to charge.
NTC seeks feedback on 3G
The National Telecommunications Commission will listen to all reasonable proposals to make sure third-generation or 3G mobile broadband licence rules benefit the people and country, says Gen Choochart Promprasit, the NTC chairman.
The regulator would welcome all proposals at its scheduled public hearing on the licence auction on Sept 28.
He said reasonable proposals would be adapted to the draft auction regulations and would be published in the Royal Gazette by the end of October.He predicted that the auction process could then start by the end of the year.
Some analysts have questioned whether the NTC has the power to regulate content because 3G technology involved convergence between telecoms and broadcasting. Gen Choochart said this concern was resolved because the NTC has a radio and television broadcasting sub-committee to look after content under a provision of the Radio and Television Broadcasting Law 2008.
The NTC was still considering whether to announce publicly the median price for 3G bids. Analysts have said the figure could be around 10 billion baht per licence. It has been reported that bidders would need to post bank guarantees equal to the median price but he said this was not yet an official condition.
The regulator would welcome all proposals at its scheduled public hearing on the licence auction on Sept 28.
He said reasonable proposals would be adapted to the draft auction regulations and would be published in the Royal Gazette by the end of October.He predicted that the auction process could then start by the end of the year.
Some analysts have questioned whether the NTC has the power to regulate content because 3G technology involved convergence between telecoms and broadcasting. Gen Choochart said this concern was resolved because the NTC has a radio and television broadcasting sub-committee to look after content under a provision of the Radio and Television Broadcasting Law 2008.
The NTC was still considering whether to announce publicly the median price for 3G bids. Analysts have said the figure could be around 10 billion baht per licence. It has been reported that bidders would need to post bank guarantees equal to the median price but he said this was not yet an official condition.
Jasmine orders TT&T to cede control of Maxnet after ruling
Jasmine International Plc has given TT&T Plc an ultimatum to stop operating a broadband internet service through an affiliate, claiming the business unit is majority owned by Jasmine.
The parent of the provincial fixedline telephone and internet provider said it was asserting its right to take over Triple T Broadband, based on the fact that it owns a 91% stake in the internet provider.
The assertion came in a letter to TT&T after the Central Bankruptcy Court approved the appointment of P Planner to prepare the debt rehabilitation plan for TT&T, according to a TT&T shareholder.
The executive said TT&T had threatened to cancel broadband bill payment services at its nationwide customer service centres for Triple T if Jasmine takes over the business. In addition, TT&T threatened to sue Jasmine if the latter cuts off its copper cable or optical-fibre network without permission.
In the letter, Jasmine ordered TT&T Subscriber Service, another subsidiary of TT&T, to stop managing the MaxNet broadband service as it is causing confusion among customers. Jasmine said it neither hired nor requested TT&T Subscriber to run the business.
Triple T Broadband has not run the business in compliance with Jasmine's policies and disagreed with its manage-ment plan, which is causing severe damage to the broadband unit, Jasmine said.
Also, as TT&T is entering into rehabilitation, it urgently needs to put most of its efforts into restructuring debt, creating a new business plan and restructuring the organisation, Jasmine said."We want TT&T to stop running the broadband management and revenue collection,and transfer customers from its network."
TT&T is planning to restructure 21 billion baht in debt. Of all, 18 billion baht consists of long-term obligations of five to 10 years, and the remaining 3 billion represent supplier credits. Of that amount,45% of the debts are owed to a dozen local financial institutions, with the rest to foreign creditors.
Jasmine also said that TT&T could not ban customers from paying bills at its facilities because the company had informed the Revenue Department that Triple T was allowed to legally use the centres for bill services.
"We have the right to fully control the broadband unit and TT&T has no right to intervene," the letter said, adding that TT&T held only a 9% stake in Triple T Broadband.
Triple T, with 10 million baht in registered capital, previously was wholly owned by TT&T. But TT&T failed to inject money into the company when it needed to raise its capital to 110 million baht, resulting in Jasmine becoming the major shareholder.
The parent of the provincial fixedline telephone and internet provider said it was asserting its right to take over Triple T Broadband, based on the fact that it owns a 91% stake in the internet provider.
The assertion came in a letter to TT&T after the Central Bankruptcy Court approved the appointment of P Planner to prepare the debt rehabilitation plan for TT&T, according to a TT&T shareholder.
The executive said TT&T had threatened to cancel broadband bill payment services at its nationwide customer service centres for Triple T if Jasmine takes over the business. In addition, TT&T threatened to sue Jasmine if the latter cuts off its copper cable or optical-fibre network without permission.
In the letter, Jasmine ordered TT&T Subscriber Service, another subsidiary of TT&T, to stop managing the MaxNet broadband service as it is causing confusion among customers. Jasmine said it neither hired nor requested TT&T Subscriber to run the business.
Triple T Broadband has not run the business in compliance with Jasmine's policies and disagreed with its manage-ment plan, which is causing severe damage to the broadband unit, Jasmine said.
Also, as TT&T is entering into rehabilitation, it urgently needs to put most of its efforts into restructuring debt, creating a new business plan and restructuring the organisation, Jasmine said."We want TT&T to stop running the broadband management and revenue collection,and transfer customers from its network."
TT&T is planning to restructure 21 billion baht in debt. Of all, 18 billion baht consists of long-term obligations of five to 10 years, and the remaining 3 billion represent supplier credits. Of that amount,45% of the debts are owed to a dozen local financial institutions, with the rest to foreign creditors.
Jasmine also said that TT&T could not ban customers from paying bills at its facilities because the company had informed the Revenue Department that Triple T was allowed to legally use the centres for bill services.
"We have the right to fully control the broadband unit and TT&T has no right to intervene," the letter said, adding that TT&T held only a 9% stake in Triple T Broadband.
Triple T, with 10 million baht in registered capital, previously was wholly owned by TT&T. But TT&T failed to inject money into the company when it needed to raise its capital to 110 million baht, resulting in Jasmine becoming the major shareholder.
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