BROADCASTING

InTouch has revealed details of its new digital broadcasting plan to roll out three commercial digital television channels: one high definition and two standard definition.

The company has earmarked 2 billion baht to acquire three licences to operate commercial terrestrial digital TV.

Executive chairman Somprasong Boonyachai said the planned two standard-definition channels will be tailored for children, family and entertainment programming.

The broadcasting committee of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) recently approved a digital plan to grant 48 licences next March, including 20 for commercial standard-definition channels and four for commercial high-definition channels.

The remaining 24 licences will be reserved for 12 public channels by the end of this year and another 12 channels for community purposes next year.

Mr Somprasong said InTouch, through its subsidiary Thaicom Plc, also plans to bid for an infrastructure licence to provide a satellite network service for digital TV broadcasting.

He said the digital broadcasting network could integrate with the third-generation (3G) mobile infrastructure, which meant mobile operators who won 3G licences can accelerate their network roll out faster.

Advanced Wireless Network, owned by the country's largest mobile operator, Advanced Info Service _ the mobile flagship of parent InTouch _ was one of the three potential bidders that have submitted an application for the 3G spectrum auction, which is scheduled to take place on Oct 16.

"We expect to see a clearer picture for our digital TV business plan next month after our adviser finishes a study on the digital broadcasting plan," said Mr Somprasong.

Earlier, the NBTC planned to grant operating licences for digital terrestrial TV infrastructure and network providers by the end of this year.

Under the plan, infrastructure providers would be responsible for installing 41 new broadcasting towers for digital terrestrial TV broadcasting services across the country.

Each main broadcasting tower must handle up to five multiplexes or radio frequency slots. Network providers could manage these multiplexes for the broadcasters at different levels, such as national, regional and community level.