Call issued for 'reasonable' 5G spectrum prices

Settapong Malisuwan at the NBTC Journal 2018 seminar on Tuesday, held at the Office of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission. (Photo supplied)

The government should quickly amend rules on the cost of 5G spectrum to prevent unreasonably high reserve prices, according to Settapong Malisuwan, former chairman of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).

Mr Settapong, now a politician, said high-priced auctions for 5G spectrum might deter operators from taking part.

Now a spokesman for the Bhumjaithai Party, Mr Settapong told the 'NBTC Journal 2018' academic seminar on the development of 5G cellular mobile communications in Bangkok on Tuesday that Thailand needs to amend its rule on frequency allocation for 5G services within this year. Otherwise, he said, it could miss the 5G train because other countries were developing their 5G networks.

Present auction terms base reserve prices on previous licence prices. These wil result in unacceptably high costs of 5G frequencies, and in turn will fail to attract possible operators to bid for the frequencies, Mr Settapong said.

The countries that could first complete and use 5G networks would enter into the new economy faster than others, he said.