The telecom regulator asked the Central Administrative Court Tuesday to allow the AIS extend the signals for 2G SIM cards on the 900-megahertz network until March 21, according to people familiar to the case. The signals were due to be switched off at midnight.
The Central Administrative Court decided on the ruling only two hours before midnight, extending the service for 30 days, or until April 14.
Some 400,000 2G users are on the 900MHz network run previously by Advanced Info Service (AIS), the country's biggest mobile operator. Once the signal is cut off, these users will no longer be able to use mobile services.
The court's decision follows a request by AIS for an order to force the NBTC to extend the period for 2G customer retention and ensure service continuity as stipulated in rules set out by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).
The regulator insisted earlier it has no authority to extend the period for AIS to oversee its customer as it would be breaching the telecom laws.
The court heard the details on customer retention measures from the NBTC on Tuesday.
AIS had earlier migrated 7.6 million 2G customers to DTAC's 1800MHz network under a roaming agreement.
The cut-off order came after the NBTC on Monday granted a 15-year 900MHz spectrum licence to bid winner True Move H Universal Communication (TUC), the 4G arm of True Corporation, three days after the company paid for the licence. The order was in line with auction rules.
The 2G customer retention deal ended up in court even after talks between the related parties seeking a solution fell short. The three parties involved are AIS, TUC and TOT Plc.
AIS chief executive Somchai Lertsutiwong said on Monday the company would give away 3G/4G smartphones to the 2G customers faced with losing their phone signals.
The deal is good until the end of May.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered AIS to pay compensation to CAT Telecom for a case in which CAT sued AIS for carelessness in letting 165 international roaming users use counterfeit documents to request CAT service.
The compensation is 7 million baht plus 7.5% interest a year from 2004 to the present.
The court said AIS failed to examine the documents of the international roaming applicants.