The Association of Digital Television Broadcasting (ADTEB) has urged the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to extend their existing licences after the expiry date in 2029 to help them survive threats in the local digital TV landscape.
The association also proposed the regulator reconsider its plan to auction the 3500-3800 megahertz spectrum as a telecom service, noting that many satellite TV stations use this range to broadcast their programmes, while 60% of Thais view digital TV via a satellite platform.
ADTEB president Suphap Kleekajai said members have discussed the licence issue for years and unanimously reached a resolution calling for the NBTC to no longer award digital TV licences via auction after the licences expire in 2029.
Although the licences expire in five years, this is not a long time because some resolutions take time to materialise, he said yesterday at the "One Decade of Digital TV" event hosted by ADTEB and the NBTC.
"We need to see an extension of the terms for digital TV licences, or even an alternative way of allocating new licences, such as a beauty contest," said Mr Suphap.
He said the digital TV channels are national TV platforms and all digital TV channels are supervised by the NBTC. Other platforms, such as over-the-top platforms, are not regulated by the NBTC.
ADTEB management plans to hold an official meeting with the NBTC board to discuss the licence issue, said Mr Suphap.
He said the association will urge the government to amend the NBTC Act, which stipulates the spectra is a national resource and must be allocated solely by auction.
Mr Suphap said ADTEB wants a rethink of the planned auction of the 3500-3800MHz range because it would affect the digital TV landscape.
NBTC chairman Dr Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck said he agrees the planned auction for this range might have to be revised.
However, as the regulator, the NBTC cannot issue orders to the government on behalf of the private sector.
After ADTEB discusses the issue with the NBTC, the regulator can propose the association's resolution to the government for consideration, said Dr Sarana.
Mr Suphap said digital TV stations faced tough challenges starting from the NBTC auction of 24 digital TV licences in 2013.
The auction fetched a combined bid payment of 50 billion baht.
There are 15 digital TV channels left in the market as some operators decided to cease operations because of the financial burden.
Many countries have transitioned the industry from analogue TV to the digital system without using the auction method, unlike the NBTC, said Mr Suphap.
A study by Chulalongkorn University estimated an appropriate winning price for the combined digital TV licences should be only 13 billion baht.
He said the digital TV landscape has dramatically changed, affected by changing consumer behaviour and the rising popularity of streaming content via social platforms.
Advertising spending on digital TV also declined, although the NBTC implemented the "must-carry" rule as a remedy to help promote digital TV viewing through other networks, such as satellite.
The must-carry rule requires that programmes aired on free TV be broadcast on any platform without conditions.
