AIS wins 4G re-auction at B75.65bn

AIS wins 4G re-auction at B75.65bn

The opening and also winning bid by AIS for 10MHz bandwidth in the 900MHz spectrum is shown on the board behind NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith at the end of this morning's auction.  (Photo by Seksan Rojjanametakul)
The opening and also winning bid by AIS for 10MHz bandwidth in the 900MHz spectrum is shown on the board behind NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith at the end of this morning's auction. (Photo by Seksan Rojjanametakul)

Advanced Info Service (AIS) has won the re-auction of a bandwidth in the 900-megahertz spectrum with the beginning price of 75.654 billion baht.

There were no other bidders.

AIS, through its subsidiary Advanced Wireless Network (AWN), confirmed winning the bidding in the 35-minute session organised by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) on Friday.

The regulator offered for auction a 10MHz bandwidth in the 900MHz spectrum. The new auction was needed after the first winner of that bandwidth, JAS Mobile Broadband, defaulted on its first payment of 8.04 billion baht plus bank guarantees for the remainder of the winning bid of 75.654 billion baht --  the amount that was subsequently set as the starting price for the re-auction.

Takorn Tantasith, secretary-general of the NBTC, said the regulator would issue the 4G licence within two days after receiving the first payment, half the price, which it was expected AIS would pay before its 2G licence expires on  June 30 . 

If AIS does not make the payment within 90 days, its deposit of 3.78 billion baht will be confiscated. In addition, the winner must pay damages of at least 11.35 billion baht.

Currently, there are 102.9 million mobile phone numbers in the 2G, 3G and 4G system. The NBTC has allocated  170 million numbers to operators and it now has only 21 million numbers left, so the regulator will be stricter in allocating more numbers.

The NBTC has revised its fee structures, setting the maximum tariffs for mobile service under the 1800MHz and 900MHhz at 69 satang per minute for voice services and 26 satang per megabyte per second (Mbps) for data services. For the 2100MHz spectrum, the maximum voice charge is 82 satang per minute and 28 satang per Mbps.  

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