NBTC to Stop 2G Service in October 2019 For 5G Able to Start Service in 2020.
27-12-2018—NBTC will stop 2G service in October 2019 to have the frequency available to start 5G service in 2020, warning importer to avoid business lost from import 2G mobile cell phone.
Secretary General of National Broadcast and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC), Mr.Thakorn Tansatit disclosed that all the three major mobile phone service in Thailand;
AIS, DTAC and TRUE sent the letter to NBTC on 25 December 2018 requested NBTC to stop providing 2G service and to protect all users to be able to continue using the service in 3G system.
NBTC will urgently proposed to NBTC board in order to urgently inform people to aware of stop provide 2G service in 31 October 2019, that will be complied with start providing 5G service in Thailand.
According to Mr.Thakorn 2G mobile phone import has been huge decreased year by year since the year 2015 compared with the year 2014 which was found 117,486 mobile phones in 2G system were import, before the 2G mobile phone number was dramatically reduced to 11,300 units in 2015 / 10,670 units in 2016/ 10,930 units in 2017 before it increased to 14,052 units in 2018.
Mr.Thakorn said there are some misunderstanding among users that 2G systems voice airtime fee is lower than in 3G and 4G but the truth is 2G voice fee is 97 satang/minutes in average which are higher than the voice airtime fee which is 60 satang/minute. He also warned the mobile phone importer that if they continue import 2G mobile phone they would face business lost.
“Thailand target to start provide 5G service in 2020, therefore to be able to start provide 5G service, NBTC must stop providing 2G service, to have this vacant frequency to use in 5G that will be more worthy benefit for Thai people. In the same time the 2G users can remain using the service in 3G and 4G instead. Having 5G service to be provided in Thailand is to mobilized Thailand economy in the other way.” according to Mr.Thakorn.
