It also asked AIS for information about the new plan today, NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said. AIS will hold a board meeting today on the matter.

The NBTC met with AIS, its subsidiary Advanced Wireless Network (AWN), TOT, and True Move H Universal Communication TUC) yesterday to seek ways to prevent service disruption to the 8.4 million 2G subscribers in the AIS group once it ends its 900MHz service on Monday. The NBTC is set to award a 900MHz licence to TUC. The NBTC yesterday also asked TUC and TOT to propose new solutions to this issue.

AIS yesterday insisted that it could protect its 2G subscribers by having 8 million subscribers roamed with DTAC’s 2G 1800MHz band and the other 400,000 roamed with the 5MHz of 900MHz spectrum band of Jas Mobile Broadband (JASMBB), which won the 900MHz licence in last year’s bidding.

Of the 8.4 million customers, 8 million are with the AWN network and the rest are with AIS.

AIS might decide to let go of the 400,000 subscribers on its network if it is not allowed to use JASMBB band.

AIS to pay a fee

AIS will pay a fee for the use of the JASMBB band to the NBTC and pay for the use of TOT’s 900MHz network to provide the service.

The commission told AIS that it could not do as it planned as the NBTC has to keep the 900MHz band for JASMBB. If JASMBB fails to pay the first instalment of the licence up front to be eligible to get the band, the NBTC will have to keep it for reallocation. It cannot allow AIS to use it.

TUC will pay the Bt8.04-billion first instalment of the licence fee and place bank guarantees for the remaining instalments tomorrow. Then the NBTC telecom committee will grant the 900MHz licence to the company on Monday. JASMBB has yet to inform the NBTC when it will pay its instalment. Both winners of 900MHz licences, TUC and JASMBB, are required to pay their first instalment by March 21.

TUC recently proposed to the NBTC that it was willing to allow AIS to use its 5MHz of its 900MHz band for a short time period to save the existing 2G users on the condition that it would be paid for the spectrum allotted to it.

The NBTC telecom committee |is considering applying clause 63 |of the Frequency Allocation Law for the plan to help the 2G users. |It might also ask the junta to |step in to solve the issue if all |related parties fail to agree on a solution.

Article 63 empowers the NBTC to use its licence holders’ equipment to carry out any action in |the case of emergency in order |to maintain peace and national security and to protect the public interest.