태국은 내달 주파수 경매를 통해 3개 사업자에게 3G 서비스를 허용할 예정입니다.  AIS, DTAC, TrueMobile이 획득할 것으로 예상되고 있는데, NTC는 허가를 받은 때로부터 1년 이내 서비스를 시작할 것, 2년 내에 최소한 인구 50% 이상을 커버할 수 있도록 서비스 지역을 확장할 것, 4년 내에는 최소한 80%를 커버할 것 등을 조건으로 하고 있습니다.

그런데, 이러한 조건 외에 NTC는 '보편적 서비스 제공 의무'의 일환으로써 3개 사업자가 각각 15,000개의 학교에 2Mbps 속도의 무선 인터넷을 5년 이내에 제공하기 시작하여 향후 5년동안 무료로 제공할 것을 요구할 예정이라고 합니다.

유선 초고속 인터넷이 아직 보편화되지 않은 상태인지라 2Mbps에 불과한 3G 무선데이터 서비스이지만 저걸로 WiFi를 구성해 놓으면 IT 맛보기는 할 수 있을 듯 하네요.


Some 45,000 schools across the country will be hooked up to high-speed wireless Internet connections for free oncethe long-awaited 3G cellular service is up and running.

That is a requirement for winners of third-generation mobile licences using the 2.1-gigahertz spectrum, the National Telecommunications Com-mission (NTC) said.

Successful bidders and licensees would have to provide a connection speed of 2 megabits per second to all these schools at no charge for five years.

The NTC will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Education Ministry to promote the project jointly. The ministry will develop content for the schools in the project and group them into three clusters, starting with those the most technically ready, already equipped with computers and technical staff.

 The other two clusters are those with available facilities but some technical limitations and those in remote areas inaccessible by Internet infrastructure, with no computers and no technical staff.

This will help eventual 3G licence holders to provide the schools with what they need.

The school project is part of the NTC's draft regulations on universal service obligations (USO) specifically for 3G licensees.

NTC member Suranan Wongvitha-yakamjorn said the NTC would consider the draft rules soon.

As part of the draft, the three licence winners will each provide broadband Internet access to 15,000 schools nationwide within five years and not charge them for 60 months.

The NTC will auction three licences to use the 2.1GHz spectrum to provide 3G wireless broadband service next month. Advanced Info Service (AIS), Total Access Communication (DTAC) and TrueMove are all expected to take part in the bidding.

The NTC's existing USO regulations require all major licensees to develop telecom services in remote areas. If they do not want to do that by themselves, they can pay 4 per cent of their revenue to the USO Fund for the NTC to hire others to do the job.

Suranan thinks the 3G providers will not likely find it difficult to follow the requirement, since they will have to roll out their 3G networks nationwide anyway.

The 3G licensing regulations require licence holders to start offering the service within one year from the date of obtaining their licence, and provide services in all provinces covering at least 50 per cent of the population within two years and at least 80 per cent within four years.

The NTC wants to see telecom operators maximising the use of their frequencies, which are the country's valuable natural resource, to serve society and bridge the digital divide.

The NTC is making several attempts to promote equal access to affordable wireless broadband. It has drafted a plan to grant province-level licences to use the 2.5GHz spectrum to offer wireless broadband service in remote areas. It might require licence winners initially to promote the service for Bt99 a month at a connection speed of 1 megabit per second.