National policymakers have thrown their full support behind the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Ministry's proposal to draft a master plan for telecommunications and broadcasting frequency management.
Having a strategic master plan for frequencies will maximise their efficient use and enable the design of short- and long-term frequency allocations, said Sittichai Pokaiya-udom, a member of the ad hoc national digital economy committee.
He stressed the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) should play a key role in designing the details of the master plan governing the country's spectrum management.
Other organisations can support related functions, Mr Sittichai said.
The ICT Ministry plans to submit the proposal next Monday to the national broadband committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula.
"I will be the one pushing the proposal once it is raised on Monday," Mr Sittichai said.
ICT Minister Pornchai Rujiprapa said if the proposal received a green light from the committee, he would submit it to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for endorsement within two months.
Under the initial master plan concept, the NBTC would take charge of drafting the details for frequency management and allocation, Mr Pornchai said.
The ICT Ministry would serve as a supervisor to TOT Plc and CAT Telecom, requiring the two state telecoms to return their frequencies after concession expiry to the NBTC for reallocation.
Mr Pornchai said the master plan would focus on reforming the country's telecommunications infrastructure backbone and management of spectra ranging from 470-2600 megahertz.
NBTC chairman Thares Punsri also agreed Thailand needed a strategic master plan for spectrum management to handle national resources more efficiently.
"Thailand could lose an important opportunity if it does not reclaim unused spectra from state enterprises and reallocate or refarm the 2G frequency bands," he said.
ACM Thares said reallocating spectra benefited not only the telecom industry but also broadcasting frequencies and IT-based systems using spectrum such as machine-to-machine communications.
TOT and CAT claim they have the right to hold the frequencies after their concessions expire — the former has 64 MHz unused on the 2300-MHz spectrum but wants to keep these bands to provide telecom service and create its own revenue.
Mr Pornchai wants a clearer picture of spectrum reform before the 4G auctions.