Total Access Communication (DTAC) yesterday kicked off a non-commercial trial of a third-generation wireless broadband service on its existing 850-megahertz spectrum.
The move is aimed at preparing itself for the expected granting of 3G licences.
CEO Tore Johnsen said the main purpose of the "DTAC Mobile Internet on 3G" trial was not to test the well-proven 3G technology, but rather to ensure the company's operations were prepared for upcoming commercial operations, especially the granting of new 3G licences.
The area covered by the initial phase of the trial includes Chulalongkorn University, Pantip Plaza, MBK Centre, Siam Square, the Samyan area and Chamchuri Square, using 18 3G base stations. The coverage area will soon be expanded to other areas of Bangkok from an additional 18 base stations.
DTAC will start giving out free 3G air cards and free airtime today to 2,000 selected users of laptop computers who will access the wireless broadband Internet service via the 3G network throughout the trial period, which runs until December 31.
The trial will cost Bt100 million, for
network development and marketing activities.
Advanced Info Service (AIS) and True Move have already test-launched 3G services on their existing spectra, ahead of DTAC.
AIS began a trial on its existing 900MHz spectrum in Chiang Mai in June 2008 and later in central Bangkok, while True Move recently launched a 3G trial on its 800MHz spectrum in central Bangkok and Hua Hin.
During its trial, DTAC plans to conduct a customer survey to gather feedback on customer satisfaction, giving it better insight into customer behaviour and demands and assisting in the design of better products and services.
DTAC cited studies by the National Statistical Office, TOT and the Boston Consulting Group that found the number of broadband subscribers in Thailand rose from 200,000 in 2000 to 1.8 million last year. However, it said broadband use was still limited by coverage from fixed-line networks that did not reach households in remote areas.
DTAC has said many times it wants to launch 3G services on both the 850MHz and 2.1-gigahertz spectra.
The National Telecommunications Commission plans to auction four licences on the 2.1GHz 3G spectrum but has yet to set a date. Telecommunications-industry sources believe the auction will take place either late this year or early next year.
DTAC is also waiting for a state committee set up under Article 22 of the Public-Private Joint Venture Act to approve the commercial launch of its 3G service on the 850MHz spectrum. Earlier, CAT Telecom, which owns DTAC's mobile concession, said it expected approval to be given in this year's second quarter.
Meanwhile, Johnsen said he believed Thailand's economy would pick up slightly in the second half of the year but cautioned a full recovery would take time.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Post office aims for B700m
Thailand Post says it will try to achieve its target of 700 million baht in profit this year, even though domestic politics and the global recession will affect international transport.
Ormsin Cheewaplueck, the president of Thailand Post, said that half-year performance had fallen short of the original target because of political turmoil and the recession.
Total revenues were 7.39 billion baht,with communications taking the highest share at 74%, with 9.9% coming from logistics,6.4% from financial business and 6% from retail.
He said that although the 700-millionbaht target could be hard to achieve, he was confident the second half would generate at least 350 million baht in profit. The state enterprise earned 263 million baht in profit in the first half.
Thailand Post plans to increase rev-enues in the short term by extending service hours at its service points and mobile service points in industrial estates as well as by opening more outlets.
It also plans to sell rare stamps, install more postboxes and service points and install more satellite dishes.
For the long term, he said, the company would focus on personnel improvement, as it has 21,000 staff, and upgrading its IT system.
Thailand Post entered its seventh year of operation after separating itself from the Communications Authority of Thailand in 2003. The postal service was losing an average of 1.2 billion baht a year before separation.
After separation, Thailand Post has grown with net profit increasing yearly since 2004 from 229 million baht to 1.78 billion in 2007. Last year it earned 972 million baht in profit.
Ormsin Cheewaplueck, the president of Thailand Post, said that half-year performance had fallen short of the original target because of political turmoil and the recession.
Total revenues were 7.39 billion baht,with communications taking the highest share at 74%, with 9.9% coming from logistics,6.4% from financial business and 6% from retail.
He said that although the 700-millionbaht target could be hard to achieve, he was confident the second half would generate at least 350 million baht in profit. The state enterprise earned 263 million baht in profit in the first half.
Thailand Post plans to increase rev-enues in the short term by extending service hours at its service points and mobile service points in industrial estates as well as by opening more outlets.
It also plans to sell rare stamps, install more postboxes and service points and install more satellite dishes.
For the long term, he said, the company would focus on personnel improvement, as it has 21,000 staff, and upgrading its IT system.
Thailand Post entered its seventh year of operation after separating itself from the Communications Authority of Thailand in 2003. The postal service was losing an average of 1.2 billion baht a year before separation.
After separation, Thailand Post has grown with net profit increasing yearly since 2004 from 229 million baht to 1.78 billion in 2007. Last year it earned 972 million baht in profit.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
NOT ENOUGH IPHONE 3GS PHONES SENT OVER TO MEET LOCAL DEMAND
Many customers who booked iPhone 3GS mobile phones will have to wait until the middle of next month because the first shipment from Apple was not enough to go around.
Papon Ratanachaikanont, assistant to the president and CEO of True Move as well as deputy group chief commercial officer of True Corp, said yesterday that more than 10,000 phones had been pre-ordered but Apple only supplied 3,500 of the latest models in the first lot.
The first batch will go to those who had specified tomorrow as the delivery date, though those expecting to pick their phones up from Saturday to next Thursday will have to wait for the next lot.
The new lot is expected to arrive some time next week and should be available from the second week of next month. However, Papon could not say how many 3GS phones would be delivered in the second lot.
Customers having to wait for the second lot will be receive a free iPhone leather case as a kind of consolation for the delayed delivery.
There some 3,500 customers waiting to pick up their phones tomorrow and most of them are in Bangkok.
True Move allowed people to reserve the devices from August 5-24 for a deposit of Bt2,000. The customers could set a date for pick up between August 28 and September 3. The 16-gigabyte 3GS phone costs Bt24,500, while the 32GB model goes for Bt28,500.
Papon said several other countries, such as Australia, Taiwan and Singapore, have also experienced the same shortage mainly due to the higher-than-expected demand for the 3GS model, which is a newer version of the iPhone 3G phone.
Those who want to cancel their order and take their Bt2,000 deposit back can do so at all True Move shops from Tuesday onward.
The supply for local consumers should stabilise next month, Papon said.
True Move should be able to make the phones available at all its shops nationwide on September 11.
Papon is not concerned that the supply shortage would have people to rushing to purchase smuggled 3GS phones.
He said pre-bookings for the 3GS model was three times that of the 3G iPhones early this year.
True Move is the exclusive authorised cellular service provider for 3G iPhones here and expects sales of the 3GS iPhone model to exceed 50,000 units this year.
Papon Ratanachaikanont, assistant to the president and CEO of True Move as well as deputy group chief commercial officer of True Corp, said yesterday that more than 10,000 phones had been pre-ordered but Apple only supplied 3,500 of the latest models in the first lot.
The first batch will go to those who had specified tomorrow as the delivery date, though those expecting to pick their phones up from Saturday to next Thursday will have to wait for the next lot.
The new lot is expected to arrive some time next week and should be available from the second week of next month. However, Papon could not say how many 3GS phones would be delivered in the second lot.
Customers having to wait for the second lot will be receive a free iPhone leather case as a kind of consolation for the delayed delivery.
There some 3,500 customers waiting to pick up their phones tomorrow and most of them are in Bangkok.
True Move allowed people to reserve the devices from August 5-24 for a deposit of Bt2,000. The customers could set a date for pick up between August 28 and September 3. The 16-gigabyte 3GS phone costs Bt24,500, while the 32GB model goes for Bt28,500.
Papon said several other countries, such as Australia, Taiwan and Singapore, have also experienced the same shortage mainly due to the higher-than-expected demand for the 3GS model, which is a newer version of the iPhone 3G phone.
Those who want to cancel their order and take their Bt2,000 deposit back can do so at all True Move shops from Tuesday onward.
The supply for local consumers should stabilise next month, Papon said.
True Move should be able to make the phones available at all its shops nationwide on September 11.
Papon is not concerned that the supply shortage would have people to rushing to purchase smuggled 3GS phones.
He said pre-bookings for the 3GS model was three times that of the 3G iPhones early this year.
True Move is the exclusive authorised cellular service provider for 3G iPhones here and expects sales of the 3GS iPhone model to exceed 50,000 units this year.
Thailand Post looks set to miss profit target
Thailand Post is likely to miss its profit goal of Bt700 million this year, due to the deteriorating economy.
"Thailand Post will have to seek new revenue sources and continue to cut operating costs," president Ormsin Chivaprueck said yesterday.
The state enterprise had expected net profit to reach Bt900 million this year before recently revising the figure downward to Bt700 million.
But Ormsin yesterday said it would earn Bt350 million in the second half after eking out a net profit of Bt263 million in the first half.
Last year it made Bt972 million.
This year it projects total revenue of Bt15 billion, down from Bt16 billion last year. In the first half, revenue was Bt7.37 billion.
The state enterprise has witnessed declining numbers of delivered mail, while the Internet has become a common communications choice of people and has stolen some of its mail business.
More than 74 per cent of its revenue comes from the communications business, which includes mail delivery service, while the second main contributor is its logistics service.
Of first-half revenue, Bt5.47 billion was generated by the communications business and Bt729 million by the logistics business.
Thailand Post was the postal unit of the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) before it was split off and corporatised in August 2003, while CAT became CAT Telecom.
It has more than 20,000 employees and 1,000 branches nationwide.
Since gaining its own identity, Thailand Post has kept launching services to boost revenues, ranging from logistics to utility-bill payment at its post offices and also food delivery.
"Thailand Post will have to seek new revenue sources and continue to cut operating costs," president Ormsin Chivaprueck said yesterday.
The state enterprise had expected net profit to reach Bt900 million this year before recently revising the figure downward to Bt700 million.
But Ormsin yesterday said it would earn Bt350 million in the second half after eking out a net profit of Bt263 million in the first half.
Last year it made Bt972 million.
This year it projects total revenue of Bt15 billion, down from Bt16 billion last year. In the first half, revenue was Bt7.37 billion.
The state enterprise has witnessed declining numbers of delivered mail, while the Internet has become a common communications choice of people and has stolen some of its mail business.
More than 74 per cent of its revenue comes from the communications business, which includes mail delivery service, while the second main contributor is its logistics service.
Of first-half revenue, Bt5.47 billion was generated by the communications business and Bt729 million by the logistics business.
Thailand Post was the postal unit of the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) before it was split off and corporatised in August 2003, while CAT became CAT Telecom.
It has more than 20,000 employees and 1,000 branches nationwide.
Since gaining its own identity, Thailand Post has kept launching services to boost revenues, ranging from logistics to utility-bill payment at its post offices and also food delivery.
US broadband speeds still lagging
The United States ranks 28th in the world in average Internet connection speed and is not making significant progress in building a faster network, according to a report released on Tuesday.
The report by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) said the average download speed in South Korea is 20.4 megabits per second (mbps)- four times faster than the US average of 5.1 mbps.
"Japan trails South Korea with an average of 15.8 mbps followed by Sweden at 12.8 mbps and the Netherlands at 11.0 mbps," the report said.
It said tests conducted by speedmatters.org found the average US download speed had improved by only nine-tenths of a megabit per second between 2008 and 2009- from 4.2 mbps to 5.1 mbps.
"The US has not made significant improvement in the speeds at which residents connect to the Internet," the report said."Our nation continues to fall far behind other countries."
"People in Japan can upload a highdefinition video in 12 minutes, compared to a grueling 2.5 hours at the US average upload speed," the report said.
It said 18% of those who took a US speed test recorded download speeds that were slower than 768 kilobits per second, which does not even qualify as basic broadband, according to the Federal Communications Commission.
And 64% connected at up to 10 mbps,19% connected at speeds greater than 10 mbps and two percent exceeded 25 mbps.
The United States was ranked 20th in broadband penetration in a survey of 58 countries released earlier this year by Boston-based Strategy Analytics.
South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, Denmark and Taiwan were the top five countries listed in terms of access to high-speed Internet.
US President Barack Obama has pledged to put broadband in every home and the FCC has embarked on an ambitious project to bring high-speed Internet access to every corner of the United States.
According to the CWA report, the fastest download speeds in the United States are in the northeastern parts of the country while the slowest are in states such as Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
The report by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) said the average download speed in South Korea is 20.4 megabits per second (mbps)- four times faster than the US average of 5.1 mbps.
"Japan trails South Korea with an average of 15.8 mbps followed by Sweden at 12.8 mbps and the Netherlands at 11.0 mbps," the report said.
It said tests conducted by speedmatters.org found the average US download speed had improved by only nine-tenths of a megabit per second between 2008 and 2009- from 4.2 mbps to 5.1 mbps.
"The US has not made significant improvement in the speeds at which residents connect to the Internet," the report said."Our nation continues to fall far behind other countries."
"People in Japan can upload a highdefinition video in 12 minutes, compared to a grueling 2.5 hours at the US average upload speed," the report said.
It said 18% of those who took a US speed test recorded download speeds that were slower than 768 kilobits per second, which does not even qualify as basic broadband, according to the Federal Communications Commission.
And 64% connected at up to 10 mbps,19% connected at speeds greater than 10 mbps and two percent exceeded 25 mbps.
The United States was ranked 20th in broadband penetration in a survey of 58 countries released earlier this year by Boston-based Strategy Analytics.
South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, Denmark and Taiwan were the top five countries listed in terms of access to high-speed Internet.
US President Barack Obama has pledged to put broadband in every home and the FCC has embarked on an ambitious project to bring high-speed Internet access to every corner of the United States.
According to the CWA report, the fastest download speeds in the United States are in the northeastern parts of the country while the slowest are in states such as Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
USPS seeks 30,000 job reductions
The US Postal Service,the country's second-largest employer,offered buyouts on Tuesday to quickly slash up to 30,000 jobs as it grapples with declining mail volume and embraces more automation.
The incentive for voluntary resignations and early retirements among a pool of veteran workers by the end of September "is part of a drive to cut costs by $6 billion this fiscal year," the Postal Service said.
"This decision reflects our desire to provide a fair and equitable opportunity for some of our longest-serving employees," said Anthony Vegliante, chief human resources officer and executive vice president.
"It is important to the Postal Service that we take appropriate measures to address our current financial situation,"he added.
The majority of those offered $15,000 to leave as part of an agreement with unions - up to 30,000 people - work in mail processing facilities. The Postal Service hopes to save up to $500 million from the move.
The job cut target is similar in scope to employment reductions by US automakers and certain banks, and comes amid signs that the recession may have bottomed out.
The Postal Service, which is a quasigovernment agency that relies on postage sales and revenue from other products and services to fund operations, reported a $2.4 billion loss in the quarter ended June 30.
The agency has wracked up net losses in 11 of the past 12 fiscal quarters.
Traditional mail volume has been fallen sharply as e-mail has proliferated along with online services such as electronic bill payment, officials have said.
The Postal Service has 656,000 career employees, second behind Wal-Mart Stores Inc which has more than 1.4 million workers in the United States.
Other cost cuts this year have included decisions to close facilities, pare construction, a nationwide hiring freeze,and selling underutilised and unused facilities.
The Postal Service also competes with US package delivery giants UPS Inc and FedEx Corp for some services as well as other companies.
The incentive for voluntary resignations and early retirements among a pool of veteran workers by the end of September "is part of a drive to cut costs by $6 billion this fiscal year," the Postal Service said.
"This decision reflects our desire to provide a fair and equitable opportunity for some of our longest-serving employees," said Anthony Vegliante, chief human resources officer and executive vice president.
"It is important to the Postal Service that we take appropriate measures to address our current financial situation,"he added.
The majority of those offered $15,000 to leave as part of an agreement with unions - up to 30,000 people - work in mail processing facilities. The Postal Service hopes to save up to $500 million from the move.
The job cut target is similar in scope to employment reductions by US automakers and certain banks, and comes amid signs that the recession may have bottomed out.
The Postal Service, which is a quasigovernment agency that relies on postage sales and revenue from other products and services to fund operations, reported a $2.4 billion loss in the quarter ended June 30.
The agency has wracked up net losses in 11 of the past 12 fiscal quarters.
Traditional mail volume has been fallen sharply as e-mail has proliferated along with online services such as electronic bill payment, officials have said.
The Postal Service has 656,000 career employees, second behind Wal-Mart Stores Inc which has more than 1.4 million workers in the United States.
Other cost cuts this year have included decisions to close facilities, pare construction, a nationwide hiring freeze,and selling underutilised and unused facilities.
The Postal Service also competes with US package delivery giants UPS Inc and FedEx Corp for some services as well as other companies.
Ill wind blows no good
Morakot was no Emerald; it was an ill wind that whipped up seas and cut or damaged six separated fibre-optic cables carrying Internet traffic to Thailand; the typhoon itself never hit Thailand, but while it killed an estimated 500 Taiwanese,Morakot caused deep-sea landslides that severed three cables and disrupted three others, including the SWM-3 (Southeast Asia - Middle East - Western Europe 3)and both APCN (Asia Pacific Cable Network) that carry Internet and telephone traffic to and from Thailand; the Net slowed noticeably, but picked up after a couple of days when engineers managed to quickly repair the APCN2 cable between Singapore and Malaysia, while traffic was re-routed to other systems.
The top three yuppiephone networks announced a convoluted "solution" to SMS spam, now estimated at nine million annoyances a day; starting next Monday, if you get an unwanted commercial message on your mobile phone,call your network's anti-spam centre,explained what happened, and they will try to block any other calls from the spammer - the AIS number to call is 1175,DTAC is 1678 and True Move is1331, and the theory is that the 30-million-baht software they have installed and the highly trained staff they have hired will combine to block the spam across all three networks; Thana Thienachariya, chief commercial officer at DTAC, said blocking spam would cut revenue at all three yuppiephone firms, who have profited by selling SMS time in blocks to advertisers; in other words, he already knows where the calls are coming from.
Bangkok telephone provider True Corp and their yuppiephone subsidiary True Move began advertising "revolutionary" international phone rates of "only" three baht a minute to mostcalled countries; the rate, cheap at half the price, is about half what the telecoms duopoly of your TOT and your Cattelecom charge, but about twice the cost of the most popular long-distance specialists like DeeDial and ZayHi ; the True rates only will last until New Year's Eve.
If corporate diversification is a sign that the recession is ending, then we got good news from Delta Electronics (Thailand); president Henry Shieh said the Taiwan-based electronics firm is about to acquire solar-power equipment makers in the US and Europe to get out of traditional electric sources and into larger technology areas; he bragged that,"Our cash on hand of over 8 billion baht also supports our investments,"and while Thailand plants are running at only 65 percent capacity making fans and converters, profits in the second quarter were still a healthy 301 million baht.
Also upbeat: CEO Watchai Vilailuck ofSamart Corp , who said business was looking up, with revenues increasing by 17 percent year on year in the second quarter to 4.44 billion baht; although profit remained stagnant at just under 125 million, Mr Watchai said he sees clear economic skies ahead, and expects to introduce 20 new yuppiephone handsets before New Year's Eve to feed what he is certain is growing demand in Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh and Cambodia, as well as Thailand.
Not everyone was bragging and sunny; No 1 yuppiephone firm Advanced Info Service of Shingapore announced major changes at the very top of the firm's food chain to try to adjust to negative growth and increased competition; AIS tried to spin the changes as restructuring, but in fact the major changes were personnel; Singaporean Hui Weng Cheong was promoted from deputy president to the newly created position of chief operating officer, where he will take over marketing, customer management and handset distribution;president Wichian Mektrakarn was moved to CEO and the president's position was dissolved; AIS has recently realistically changed its revenue target from 4 percent growth to minus-3 percent, bizarrely blaming oil prices and the flu pandemic; chairman Somprasong Boonyachai said you should be ashamed of yourself for thinking the changes at the top were because of poor operating results, it's just all part of a careful,long-planned succession plan.
The company formerly known as Shin Satellite insisted it will break out of its habit of losses and break even this year,thanks to higher bandwidth sales from its iPSTAR broadband satellite; it's not all rosy for Thaicom , however; Tanadit Charoenchan, executive president of vice, revealed that,"We expect iPSTAR's bandwidth usage to reach 15 percent this year, up from 10 percent currently."
Then there is Grammy Entertainment , which reported no harm, no foul in its first-half results, a profit of 314.2 million baht on slightly increased revenue of 3.95 billion, boosted almost exclusively by TV programming, while music sales fell four per cent.
Finally, consider the case of bank employee Nawanit Noichana,; he posted a message on the Sanook.com forums soliciting readers to have sex with a certain Ms Som, and providing her real phone number; it was all a prank or something worse, because Ms Som was certainly not that kind of woman; the Criminal Court judge found him guilty under the Computer Crime Act, but then sentenced him to just 12 hours of community service and a one-year suspended imprisonment.
The top three yuppiephone networks announced a convoluted "solution" to SMS spam, now estimated at nine million annoyances a day; starting next Monday, if you get an unwanted commercial message on your mobile phone,call your network's anti-spam centre,explained what happened, and they will try to block any other calls from the spammer - the AIS number to call is 1175,DTAC is 1678 and True Move is1331, and the theory is that the 30-million-baht software they have installed and the highly trained staff they have hired will combine to block the spam across all three networks; Thana Thienachariya, chief commercial officer at DTAC, said blocking spam would cut revenue at all three yuppiephone firms, who have profited by selling SMS time in blocks to advertisers; in other words, he already knows where the calls are coming from.
Bangkok telephone provider True Corp and their yuppiephone subsidiary True Move began advertising "revolutionary" international phone rates of "only" three baht a minute to mostcalled countries; the rate, cheap at half the price, is about half what the telecoms duopoly of your TOT and your Cattelecom charge, but about twice the cost of the most popular long-distance specialists like DeeDial and ZayHi ; the True rates only will last until New Year's Eve.
If corporate diversification is a sign that the recession is ending, then we got good news from Delta Electronics (Thailand); president Henry Shieh said the Taiwan-based electronics firm is about to acquire solar-power equipment makers in the US and Europe to get out of traditional electric sources and into larger technology areas; he bragged that,"Our cash on hand of over 8 billion baht also supports our investments,"and while Thailand plants are running at only 65 percent capacity making fans and converters, profits in the second quarter were still a healthy 301 million baht.
Also upbeat: CEO Watchai Vilailuck ofSamart Corp , who said business was looking up, with revenues increasing by 17 percent year on year in the second quarter to 4.44 billion baht; although profit remained stagnant at just under 125 million, Mr Watchai said he sees clear economic skies ahead, and expects to introduce 20 new yuppiephone handsets before New Year's Eve to feed what he is certain is growing demand in Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh and Cambodia, as well as Thailand.
Not everyone was bragging and sunny; No 1 yuppiephone firm Advanced Info Service of Shingapore announced major changes at the very top of the firm's food chain to try to adjust to negative growth and increased competition; AIS tried to spin the changes as restructuring, but in fact the major changes were personnel; Singaporean Hui Weng Cheong was promoted from deputy president to the newly created position of chief operating officer, where he will take over marketing, customer management and handset distribution;president Wichian Mektrakarn was moved to CEO and the president's position was dissolved; AIS has recently realistically changed its revenue target from 4 percent growth to minus-3 percent, bizarrely blaming oil prices and the flu pandemic; chairman Somprasong Boonyachai said you should be ashamed of yourself for thinking the changes at the top were because of poor operating results, it's just all part of a careful,long-planned succession plan.
The company formerly known as Shin Satellite insisted it will break out of its habit of losses and break even this year,thanks to higher bandwidth sales from its iPSTAR broadband satellite; it's not all rosy for Thaicom , however; Tanadit Charoenchan, executive president of vice, revealed that,"We expect iPSTAR's bandwidth usage to reach 15 percent this year, up from 10 percent currently."
Then there is Grammy Entertainment , which reported no harm, no foul in its first-half results, a profit of 314.2 million baht on slightly increased revenue of 3.95 billion, boosted almost exclusively by TV programming, while music sales fell four per cent.
Finally, consider the case of bank employee Nawanit Noichana,; he posted a message on the Sanook.com forums soliciting readers to have sex with a certain Ms Som, and providing her real phone number; it was all a prank or something worse, because Ms Som was certainly not that kind of woman; the Criminal Court judge found him guilty under the Computer Crime Act, but then sentenced him to just 12 hours of community service and a one-year suspended imprisonment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)