It has been speculated that only Advanced Info Service will bid for the licence. While AIS is keen to grab the licence, it has said that the final decision depends on the board.

True chief executive officer Suphachai Chearavanont said yesterday whether his firm would join the fray depended on its board’s final decision. Both AIS and True picked up the documents last week for applying to take part in the auction.

According to a DTAC statement yesterday, its CEO Lars Norling said the company currently had a very strong spectrum portfolio and was providing the best digital services to customers.

“We will not bid for the 900MHz [licence] at this point in time. However, to ensure our sustainable growth, we have every intent [to secure] sufficient spectrum to serve the fast-growing data demand from our customer base by the end of [our] concession in 2018. Moreover, DTAC’s 2,100-MHz licence will last until 2027,” he said.

“In order to benefit all operators and digital consumers, more spectrum should be put to auction ahead of their expiry to avoid situations like what all the industry stakeholders have been facing. A national spectrum road map is strongly required as a sustainable solution to the industry.

“With the current spectrum portfolio, DTAC will expand 4G bandwidth on 1,800MHz from 15MHz to 20MHz in Bangkok by midyear. Only DTAC’s digital customers will be able to enjoy a super-fast digital experience on the widest bandwidth of the single network.

“In addition, DTAC 4G services on 2,100MHz will be ready in all 878 amphoe by [the third quarter of this year] and Super 4G on 1,800MHz to all 77 provinces by midyear. This means that DTAC customers who live and travel anyplace in Thailand will enjoy a superb digital experience on the DTAC Super 4G network.”

DTAC has maintained that the minimum starting bid for the upcoming auction is too high at Bt75.65 billion. A telecom analyst said DTAC’s decision not to take part in the auction meant the company would have spectrum constraints if new auctions are not forthcoming when it needs more bandwidth.