DTAC & AIS Win 1800 MHz Spectrum Concession Bids

Telecommunication giants, Advance Info Service (AIS) and Total Access Communication Public Company Limited (DTAC) have won concessions for the 1800 MHz spectrum in an auction run by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC)

The auction took place today with the NBTC putting two licenses of 1800 MHz spectrum, called Lot A and Lot G, up for bidding. The auction started with a minimum price of 12.4 billion baht per license in the first round. In the second round, DTAC and AIS both raised the bidding price to 12.5 billion baht, which remained unchanged throughout the third and the final rounds of the auction.

AIS has secured the bid for the Lot A license, which will enable the firm to operate wireless networks, including 5G technologies in the frequencies of 1740-1745 MHz and of 1835-1840 MHz. Meanwhile, DTAC has obtained the bid for the Lot G license, allowing it run the wireless services in the frequencies of 1745-1750 MHz and 1840-1845 MHz.

The NBTC will announce the official results of the auction on 22nd August and will issue the licenses within 90 days after the announcement. Successful bidders will forfeit their auction insurance deposits of 2.5 billion baht and must pay compensation of at least 1.8 billion baht per license to the NBTC if they fail to pay the auction fees within 90 days.

Payment of the bidding fees can be made in three installments. The wnning firms are to pay 25 billion baht altogether, exclusive of VAT to the NBTC. – CT Bureau