Total Access Communication (DTAC), the country's third-largest mobile operator by subscribers, plans to install 2,000 base stations for 700-megahertz spectrum by January 2021 to boost high-speed internet network capability, in a move seen as taking on the top two mobile operators.
DTAC TriNet, a subsidiary of DTAC, yesterday paid the first instalment worth 1.88 billion baht to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) for 20MHz of bandwidth on 700MHz spectrum secured from the telecom regulator in June 2019.
The payment for DTAC's 700MHz spectrum licence amounts to 17.58 billion baht.
DTAC chief executive Sharad Mehrotra said the acquisition of the 700MHz range is crucial for its network portfolio. A low band is needed in the upcountry and for in-building usage in dense urban areas, especially high-rise buildings.
The spectrum will be turned on regionally as it gets freed up for use, starting in and around Bangkok and select locations in the North and the South, he said.
Apart from the 700MHz band, the company holds 10MHz of bandwidth each on the 900MHz and 1800MHz ranges, 30MHz of bandwidth on the 2100MHz range and 200MHz of bandwidth on 26-gigahertz range.
DTAC is also working with state telecom enterprise TOT to make use of 60MHz of bandwidth on the 2300MHz range for 4G services through a partnership agreement that expires in 2025.
"We have access to a full range of spectrum: low-, mid- and high-band to deliver high-speed internet using both 4G- and 5G-technologies," said Mr Mehrotra.
He said the company is waiting for the 3400-3700MHz spectrum auction, the process for which is being drafted by the NBTC. The draft plan is expected to be completed by June 2021.
The range is known to be the most popular band for 5G adoption globally.
The 3400-3700MHz range is partly used by the Thaicom 6 satellite and some foreign satellites. Satellite service provider Thaicom's licence for the range expires in September 2021.
DTAC has come under fire after technical glitches in its one-time password (OTP) verification system saw subscribers miss out signing up for the government's co-payment scheme on Dec 16.
DTAC promised to offer up to 3,500-baht worth of compensation to affected subscribers, including a top-up bonus, free calls and data usage as well as discounts for mobile phone purchases.
Mr Mehrotra said the OTP incident has nothing to do with its mobile network coverage, but was a fault in the IT system.
"We have learned from this and are taking all necessary steps to prevent this from happening again," he said.
In June 2019, the three major operators bought three licences for the 700MHz range at a combined price of 56.4 billion baht. Each gained 20MHz of bandwidth at a cost of 17.58 billion baht.
The purchases came as the previous regime invoked Section 44 to let operators buy into the 700MHz band in exchange for extending 900MHz licence payment terms for another five years.
The 15-year 700MHz licence mandates operators pay for licence fees in 10 instalments, said NBTC deputy secretary-general Sutisak Tantayotin.
The 700MHz band is scheduled to be used in January next year, deferred from Oct 1 this year due to broadcasting network operators' delaying purchasing related equipment and the fallout from the pandemic.