Unjamming the info highway | Bangkok Post: tech

Skyrocketing mobile data traffic on third-generation (3G) networks is good news for operators, proof that high-speed wireless broadband is finally paying off.

Consumers flock to last month’s Thailand Mobile Expo to see the latest offerings. 3G users are starting to suffer from the success of the devices.

But the bad news is mobile operators are facing increasingly congested networks that ultimately have a negative effect on their reputations and churn rates.

Total Access Communication (DTAC), the Norway-based mobile operator, in particular suffers from chronic traffic problems that have led to several network collapses so far as well as poor signal quality.

Mobile leader Advanced Info Service (AIS) admits it faces network congestion in some areas due to a sharp increase in mobile internet users.

Data traffic use surged by 70% last month thanks to the proliferation of smartphones and tablets.

Wichian Mektrakarn, AIS's chief executive, said his company must allocate more voice bandwidth for 3G service in order to maintain network quality. It also uses data roaming with TOT Plc to relieve traffic congestion.

He said before jumping on the commercial 3G bandwagon with the international standard 2.1-gigahertz frequency next year along with the introduction of 4G or long-term evolution technology, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) needs to implement regulations stipulating strict data service standards for mobile networks.

Frost & Sullivan, the US-based research firm, predicts mobile internet users in Thailand will exceed the number of fixed-based internet users this year. Thai mobile data internet users could amount to 64% of the population by 2015. By comparison, fixed-based broadband users will be only 16%. This highlights the growing importance of mobile services as a communications tool.

DTAC's service disruptions have also raised concerns about the reliability of network services and consumer protection. The NBTC's own research has found a persistently high level of consumer complaints over mobile billing errors, with poor mobile data service quality coming in second.

In 2010, the NBTC, at that time called the National Telecommunications Commission, received 82 mobile data service complaints _ 63 cases of billing errors and 19 of poor mobile internet quality. Last year saw 88 complaints _ 70 cases of billing errors and 18 of poor quality.

Commissioner Pravit Leestapornvongsa said the NBTC is preparing quality standards for telecom data services on mobile networks.

The new rules, which will complement existing voice quality service standards, are being prepared with an eye to commercial 3G service on the 2.1-GHz frequency next year, he said.

Chaodit Aswakul, an assistant professor in Chulalongkorn University's engineering faculty and responsible for the draft regulations, said they will comply with data service quality under the European Telecommunications Standards Institute and be based on the principle of "network neutrality".

Malaysia, Singapore, India and Lebanon are also implementing mobile data quality standards at this time.

The NBTC's draft covers the parameter indicators of general services from mobile broadband internet access and applications to SMS, MMS and video streaming. It will require mobile operators to provide mobile data access to prepaid customers within three hours of their requesting it and eight hours for postpaid users.

But 90% of complaints are still not being addressed. The draft will require operators to keep complaints down to less than 1% of voice billings for both prepaid and postpaid systems, and these must be resolved within 30 days.

Delays in data signals must not exceed one second for 2G service and a half-second for 3G, while the success rate for downloads must be at least 80% and for uploads at least 70%.

Minimum download speeds will be 54 Kbps for 2G and 384 Kbps for 3G. The minimum upload speed will be 20 Kbps for 2G and 192 Kbps for 3G, while users must have a mobile internet browsing success rate of 80% for 2G and 90% for 3G.

Dr Pravit said the regulations will be enforced only for operators with their own networks and will not cover mobile virtual network operators.

"We expect the new regulations to take effect in March after public hearings. Approval by our telecom committee will also also be needed before their announcement in the Royal Gazette," he said.

Mobile operators failing to comply will be issued a warning at first, followed by suspension or even revocation of their licence.

Dr Pravit said the NBTC could add new parameters to the regulations after advent of faster-speed 4G technology. A higher standard for service quality and advertising messages would be included.

But he admitted his agency needs to invest in more efficient auditing systems to monitor mobile service quality.

The NBTC now has only two vehicles that can drive around Greater Bangkok to test mobile service quality.

It recently used them to test DTAC's network, while AIS and True Move will be tested this month.

Dr Pravit said the NBTC's next step for ensuring fair practices will be to implement tariff ceilings for mobile data services. He admitted complaints over prepaid systems' expiry dates will not be easy to resolve.

"But we're in talks with operators on setting up an appropriate expiry date, potentially 60 days," he said.

The NBTC pushed through a law requiring mobile operators to lift their prepaid expiry dates and will fine those failing to comply.

"Fines will be based on market share," said Dr Pravit.

He said the NBTC may require mobile operators to charge customers on a second- or real-use basis instead of by the minute.

International roaming bills are another critical issue, as some smartphones connect to data service automatically once a signal becomes available.

From January-November 2011, the NBTC received 46 complaints about roaming charges involving a combined 2 million baht. The maximum roaming bill was 300,000 baht.