Advanced Info Service (AIS), the country's largest mobile operator by subscribers, aims to help local industries transform their operations through use cases using its 26-gigahertz spectrum, especially those in the automation and robotics, manufacturing, electronics and food sectors in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
AIS handed over 5.7 billion baht yesterday for the 26GHz spectrum licence with 1,200MHz of bandwidth to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). The company secured 12 slots of the frequency from the 5G spectrum licence auction held in February 2020.
For the spectrum, the winning bidders are required to make 100% payment for the licence within one year after the auction.
AIS chief executive Somchai Lertsutiwong said 2020 was the year for 5G introduction, but this year would serve as a milestone for the implementation of industrial 5G real use cases.
AIS has partnered with Saha Pattana Inter Holdings to form a joint venture called Saha Advanced Networks to develop ICT infrastructure and 5G technology for Amata Corporation for the development of Smart City, for Bangkadi Industrial Park for the Smart Industrial Park, and Rojana Industrial Park to upgrade the manufacturing sector.
It is also working with PTT Plc to deploy 5G technology to innovate unmanned solutions in the Wangchan Valley project in Rayong.
In the latest move, the company partnered with SNC Former, a manufacturer of automotive components and electrical appliances, to deploy 5G technology to boost manufacturing efficiency in the EEC.
"They are a prototype for upgrading the industrial sector to digital industrial in the future," said Mr Somchai.
He said the 5G tech was designed for industrial sector development and facilitation.
High-frequency spectrum 26GHz has the most bandwidth and the capability to support massive use, so the network has been installed with a focus on the site of each factory to avoid concerns of signal interference, said Mr Somchai.
AIS invested 35 billion baht for 4G and 5G network expansion in 2020, and it plans to spend 25-30 billion baht to broaden the network coverage this year.
Somchai Ngamkitcharoenlap, executive vice-president of SNC Former, said the industrial sector was greatly affected by the pandemic last year.
"For this reason, 5G technology has a key role in keeping businesses connected and developed for operational continuity," he said.
Through the partnership with AIS, the firm uses 5G to control and operate automated guided vehicles which transport parts to production lines, and between factories, and use the ultrafast broadband network to control industrial robots in production lines.
SNC Former also uses 5G to connect servers with machines in order to enable monitoring of various production processes.