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COMMUNICATIONS
KOMSAN TORTERMVASANA
The long-awaited Thai Mobile deal is close to being settled once and for all after TOT agreed to buy out the holding of CAT Telecom for 2.4 billion baht with payment to be made over five years. The two state telecom enterprises are scheduled to sign an agreement next week, witnessed by Mun Patanotai, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) minister.
Mr Mun said TOT would also absorb all of Thai Mobile's 6.7 billion baht in debts in exchange for the rights to manage the 1900 Megahertz spectrum.
The 1900 MHz spectrum is potentially valuable for third-generation (3G) mobile applications, and is the only asset of Thai Mobile worth owning. The cellular business has been a total failure, with fewer than 60,000 customers, due mainly to non-stop infighting between the two state enterprises over the past six years.
Mr Mun insisted the latest deal would go through and that Thai Mobile could then move forward to create a 3G business to fulfil the government's policy.
''If this deal does not get settled once and for all, I myself will finish,'' he said.
TOT board spokesman Ratian Srimongkol said that TOT would appoint a working group to draw up a new business plan for Thai Mobile, addressing all issues including marketing and competition.
He also said that an agreement signed between Thai Mobile and Advanced Info Service on roaming carried a condition that if TOT explored new investments with private operators, AIS should be given first priority.
AIS, the country's largest mobile operator with 25 million customers, operates under a TOT concession that is due to expire in seven years.
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