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.