(24/10/2012)
 The
National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) stated
that it was ready to clarify its third-generation (3G) mobile telephone
auction. A working group will be set up to examine the bidding process of the winning bidders in order to ensure transparency. The 3G auction took place on 16 October 2012, with three bidders: Advanced Info Service (AIS), DTAC, and TrueMove, which represent the country’s major mobile telephone operators. On 18 October, two days after the auction, NBTC endorsed the 3G bid results. AIS offered 14.625 billion baht, while both DTAC and TrueMove proposed 13.5 billion baht each. The total auction value is 41.625 billion baht, or 2.78 percent above the minimum price. The three winning bidders will get licenses to operate mobile services on the 2.1-gigahertz spectrum for 15 years. NBTC has not yet awarded the licenses to any of three private operators. However, the auction has received criticism from some academics and activists who considered that the prices offered by the three operators were too low. A coordinator of Green Politics has submitted a petition to the National Anti-Corruption Commission, accusing members of NBTC of mishandling the 3G auction. NBTC stressed its principle of protecting the rights of consumers by requiring all operators to set service rates for both voice and data at least 15-20 percent lower than the current prices and also to submit a plan on corporate social responsibility. It will improve the process of receiving complaints, so that it will be able to solve problems that may arise immediately. According to NBTC, the working group to be set up to look into the bidding process is expected to take 15 days to complete its examination. Then the results of the examination will be submitted to NBTC's telecommunications committee to consider granting the licenses for the operators. NBTC also explained that the 3G auction was carried out in a transparent manner and under the 2010 Frequency Allocation Act. Following the enforcement of the Frequency Allocation Act, NBTC was established in December 2010 as a single regulator to supervise the operations of the broadcasting and telecommunications sectors and the issuance of licenses for the use of broadcasting and telecommunications frequencies. It has 11 commissioners, comprising one expert in radio broadcasting, another in television broadcasting, two experts in telecommunications, two legal experts in broadcasting and two in telecommunications, two economists (one expert in consumer protection or people’s right and freedom promotion in the field of radio and television broadcasting, another in the field of telecommunications), and one expert in education, culture, or social development, with one other person serving as the secretary to NBTC. The term of each commissioner is six years. NBTC, an independent public agency, is also responsible for handling the issuance of 3G mobile phone licenses and helping in the implementation of digital broadcasting in Thailand. |
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