TRUE and AIS win more spectrum licenses in today’s auction

Thailand’s main two telecom service operators, True Corporation Public Company (TRUE) and Advance Info Service (AIS), were both declared winners in today’s auction of telecom spectrum licenses for the 1500MHz, 2100MHz and 2300MHz bands.

The two telecom giants bid a combined 41 billion baht. No other telecom players submitted bids.

NBTC chair Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck announces the auction's winners

According to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), there was only one bid for the 1500MHz band, for 1.2 billion baht.

Three licenses for the 2100MHz band went for 4.9 billion baht and 11 licenses for the 2300MHz band fetched 3.1 billion baht each.

There was no bidding for the 850MHz band on offer. The NBTC will announce which company won what licenses in due course.

Ahead of the auction, the Thailand Consumers Council and other telecom experts had urged the NBTC to postpone the auction, claiming that this would enable the two telecom giants to control telecom operations in Thailand and, hence, reduce competition to the detriment of consumers