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COMMUNICATIONS
CEO sees lead in nationwide coverage
SRISAMORN PHOOSUPHANUSORN
DTAC is preparing to begin its long-awaited commercial third-generation (3G) mobile broadband service in Bangkok in the first quarter of next year.
The country's second-largest mobile operator plans to make 3G available nationwide by mid-2009 under a five-billion-baht investment plan.
CEO Sigve Brekke said DTAC appeared to have an advantage over its rivals in the race to 3G, because its existing analogue 850 Megahertz frequency could be upgraded quickly to high-speed download packet access (HSDPA) technology with wider coverage capacity.
''DTAC will be the sole operator offering 3G service nationwide for at least one year,'' Mr Brekke said yesterday. ''The move could build a new image for us as a 3G technology leader.''
DTAC plans to introduce 3G services in three phases. The 1.2-billion-baht first phase will cover Bangkok in the first quarter of next year through 700 to 800 base stations. The second phase would cover Greater Bangkok as well as the populous provinces of Chon Buri and Phuket, followed by the third phase covering the rest of the country.
The first phase would focus wireless broadband services available over laptop computers. Services would be expanded nationwide in the second stage to 3G handsets.
''We would start realising revenue from 3G in 2010,'' Mr Brekke said.
He said mobile broadband was likely to compete directly with fixed-line broadband services, given its much faster download speed and mobility.
Mr Brekke also said that the 2100 MHz international-standard bandwidth for 3G would not be allocated until the end of 2009, given the delays in establishing a new broadcast and telecom regulator.
DTAC gained 1.8 million net new subscribers in the first half of this year, out of an industry total of four million new customers, bringing its total to 17.4 million.
Market leader Advanced Info Service also added 1.8 million new customers to top 26 million while third-ranked True Move gained only 400,000.
He said DTAC expected to have 3.6 million new subscribers this year, but that revenue growth would be only 5%, down from 10% projected earlier.
DTAC shares closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 43.50 baht, down 50 satang, in trade worth 28.6 million baht.
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