True, CAT sign 3G deal

True Move, the country's third-largest mobile phone operator, and state-owned CAT Telecom on Thursday morning signed a deal to develop a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network into a High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) network.

Reports said both firms wanted to provide 3G (third-generation) mobile services quickly by turning 3,000 CDMA base stations nationwide to HSPA base stations by the end of this year.

Under the deal, True Move will install HSPA equipment in 1,400 CDMA base stations in 25 provinces and then allow CAT Telecom to buy or lease the network.

CAT Telecom will lease HSPA equipment from True Move and it will be installed at 1,600 CDMA base stations in 51 provinces. The network will be open for rent or purchase to cell phone operators or mobile virtual network operators.

Reports said the deal was done in secret. The two companies did not notify the press about the signing.

CAT Telecom's labour union leader Sukhum Chuenmana said the union supported the deal as working with True Move would bring in more benefits to CAT Telecom.

Meanwhile, the Administrative Court this afternoon will rule whether to accept a petition to halt an auction planned by TOT Plc for tomorrow for its 20-billion-baht 3G wireless broadband network expansion.

3G auction will proceed

* Published: 27/01/2011 at 11:51 PM
* Online news:

The Administrative Court on Thursday rejected Ericsson's petition to halt an auction planned by TOT Plc for Friday for its 20-billion-baht 3G wireless broadband network expansion.

As a result, state-run TOT will open the 3G auction at 9am Friday.

Samart wins 3G auction

Samart Corporation won today's TOT Plc auction for a 20-billion-baht 3G (third generation) wireless broadband network expansion.

The e-auction was held on Friday morning after the Administrative Court last night rejected Ericsson's petition to halt the bidding.

The reserve bid price was set at 17.440 billion baht. There were 17 bids.

The SL consortium of Samart, Loxley, Nokia Siemens Networks and Huawei Technologies won the auction with a minimum bid of 16.29 billion baht, which was 6.59 per cent less than the reserve price.

The AU consortium of Advanced Information Technology and United Communications submitted a bid of 16.77 billion baht.

New NBTC chairman appointed

National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) members selecting panel on Friday appointed Jaturong Panyadilok, permanent secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, as the new chairman of NBTC, reports said.

The panel also made Okas Teparakul, chairman of the National Economic and Social Development Advisory Council, as the deputy chairman. Associate Prof Yubol Benjarongkij, chair of the Association of Academics in Field of Journalism and Mass communications of Thailand, was appointed as the secretary-general, according to the reports.

3G network good to go in 2 months: CAT chief

The deals CAT granted to the two firms raised questions about their legitimacy, including whether they have to come under the Public-Private Joint Venture Act of 1992.

Information and Communications Technology Minister Chuti Krairiksh sent a letter to the Attorney-General's Office last Friday asking for a ruling on whether the deals complied with all laws and regulations.