Telenor is a foreign strategic partner of Total Access Communication (DTAC).

Telenor’s partnership with DTAC goes back 18 years and it is now the group’s second-biggest revenue contributor.

Brekke said that the global telecom industry was changing significantly and all operators, including Telenor group, were positioning themselves for the future by transforming their organisations to become full digital-service providers.

He said that Telenor group was making itself much leaner, more cost-efficient, and much more digital and dynamic to prepare itself for the future. The group has also deployed advanced technologies, such as data analytics and artificial intelligence, to better serve customers. Brekke met Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak yesterday to discuss how DTAC can support Thailand’s digital transformation process.

Brekke also discussed with Somkid issues concerning plans for a partnership involving the 2.3GHz spectrum.

DTAC is waiting for the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) to finish examining its partnership contract with the TOT to develop a fourth-generation wireless broadband service on the TOT’s 2.3-gigahertz spectrum.

The TOT granted the partnership deal to DTAC in May 2017. The OAG’s completion of its examination of the contract would pave the way for both partners to enter into the 2.3GHz partnership contract.

Brekke said that Somkid committed to help by looking into the matter as he understood its importance not only to DTAC but also to the TOT.

Regarding the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission’s (NBTC) plan to auction DTAC’s 1800MHz spectrum after the company’s concession under CAT Telecom ends in mid-September, Brekke said that he was a little confused because the NBTC had seemed to change its mind again on the number of the planned available licences in the upcoming auction.

In a recent public hearing on the auction draft rules, DTAC and some other participants recommended that the watchdog divide this 45MHz bandwidth into nine licences each with 5MHz bandwidth. They were responding to the NBTC’s original plans for three licences each with 15MHz bandwidth. The split into nine licences would make it more flexible for the auction, the operators said.

After the hearing, the NBTC office proposed for the board’s consideration that the watchdog auction nine licences each with 5MHz. The board is yet to look into this proposal.

However, NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith this week said he would propose to the board for its consideration on April 11 that the watchdog reinstate the original auction plan.