While regulators delay, telecoms are racing ahead to implement 4G services, with the No. 2 provider announcing yesterday it now offers the services in all districts of the capital.
DTAC said it has installed 3,000 signal towers throughout the capital to provide 4G services and is incentivizing early adopters with discount packages and free data deals.
“We aim for our 4G subscribers to top 1.7 million by year-end, helped by greater availability of affordable 4G handsets and attractive 4G packages,” CTO Prathet Tankuranun said in Bangkok Post.
Although auctions to distribute spectrum licenses have been on hold since last year’s coup, providers have been racing to build capacity in an ad-hoc fashion to capture as much market share as possible.
DTAC has said 700,000 of its 28.5 million subscribers are now using 4G, behind that of No. 3 provider True Move, which reported 800,000 in September. True Move also said it aims to offer 80 percent coverage of 4G service by April.
At this time last year telecoms were being told to drop remaining 2G customers to free up the spectrum for forthcoming 4G services, first promised by the end of 2013.
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