The communications regulator will public sale spectrum within the 2.1 GHz and a pair of.3 GHz bands to help the event of 5G-A and 6G in Thailand
The Nationwide Broadcasting and Telecommunications Fee (NBTC) in Thailand has introduced plans to public sale spectrum within the 2.1 GHz and a pair of.3 GHz bands early subsequent yr, with the intention of enabling Thai cellular operators to improve to 5G-Superior (5G-A) and pave the way in which for future 6G techniques.
The NBTC made this announcement as a part of its broader spectrum administration technique for 2025-2030, designed to help the evolution in the direction of next-generation networks.
In response to native newspaper The Nation, NBTC Commissioner Somphop Purivigraipong confirmed that the public sale of those spectrum bands is scheduled for the primary quarter of 2025.
Whereas the NBTC’s roadmap addresses a number of spectrum bands throughout the 3.3-4 GHz and 6.425-7.125 GHz ranges, Somphop indicated that the main target will initially be on the two.1 GHz and a pair of.3 GHz bands on account of excessive demand from home telecom operators.
At the moment, these two bands are held by state-owned Nationwide Telecom (NT), however their licenses for these bands will expire in September 2025. NT had requested an extension for these licenses, however personal operators True Company and Superior Data Service (AIS) have been pushing for the spectrum to be auctioned to help the event of 5G-A and 6G in Thailand.
Somphop additionally said that the brand new licenses for the two.1 GHz 2.3 GHz bands will final between 10 and 15 years, including that the beginning costs for the frequencies might be set at cheap ranges.
The report additionally said that the regulator is planning to recall spectrum within the 3.5 GHz band, at the moment utilized by digital TV broadcasters, as a part of its roadmap. An public sale for this spectrum is scheduled for 2027, with profitable bidders anticipated to begin utilizing these frequencies in 2029, as soon as digital TV licenses expire.
Regardless of opposition from the Affiliation of Digital Tv Broadcasting, Somphop highlighted that the three.5 GHz band is healthier fitted to cellular networks, according to suggestions from the Worldwide Telecommunication Union (ITU). Nevertheless, the NBTC will assess whether or not telecom operators are adequately investing in community preparations for the usage of this spectrum nearer to the public sale date, the report added.
In September 2023, Ericsson Thailand head Igor Maurell had urged the Thai authorities to public sale the three.5 GHz frequencies ideally by 2025, with the primary objective of boosting the nation’s competitiveness within the 5G area.
The NBTC had allotted the 700 MHz, 2.5 GHz, and 26 GHz bands for 5G in early 2020.