Thailand’s National Telecommunications Commission is likely to delay issuing 3G mobile licences in the 2.1 GHz band due to the ongoing political crisis in the country.

Thailand’s National Telecommunications Commission is likely to delay issuing 3G mobile licences in the 2.1 GHz band due to the ongoing political crisis in the country. The country’s three privately owned GSM operators, Advanced Info Service, DTAC (owned by Telenor) and True Corporation, are currently trialling 3G on a small scale using 800 MHz-900 MHz frequencies. The trio can either acquire licences to provide 3G services and subsequently save costs, or pay a portion of their revenue to state-owned firms for the right to operate networks built by the latter. State-owned TOT, which owns spectrum in the 2.1 GHz frequency band via its subsidiary Thai Mobile, is planning to offer wholesale 3G capacity to the trio by the end of 2009.