The region’s media are reporting that the Thai Administrative Court has agreed to hear a motion by the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) to postpone the upcoming spectrum auctions. Bangkok Post, Nation Multimedia, TelecomAsia and others have details of the story. CAT contends the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) lacks the authority to hold the auction. The court declined to postpone the auction, but said NTC testimony on the matter would be heard prior to the planned auctions date next Monday, 20 September.
This is yet more maneuvering by the connected and the powerful to get a finger into this much expanding wireless pie. After seemingly endless delays the auctions are imminent and still the players continue using every possible means to gain advantage. And why not? Wireless spectrum has often been called a license to print money. And these are the headlines us mortals are allowed to read; the limited visibility we’re granted to the machinations of the rich and powerful. One can only imagine the behind-the-scenes antics, negotiations and double dealing.
Will Thailand get 3G before the rest of the world embarks on 4G? The question is yet to be answered.
[...] Thai Telecoms Witness to the Communications Revolution in Thailand « Yet Another Attempt to Postpone Thailand’s 3G Auction Date [...]
[...] might recall that CAT last week filed an injunction with the Supreme Administrative Court to prevent the NTC from auctioning 3G spectrum to incumbent [...]