The already-delayed auction of 900MHz and 1800MHz 4G-suitable mobile frequency licences in Thailand will definitely not take place by its tentatively-scheduled date of August this year, while a new timeframe for the process to be carried out is unclear, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has confirmed. As reported by Mobile World Live, delays in setting up the country’s Digital Economy Policy Committee is blamed for the further delay in the frequency auction – which had previously been postponed for a year under orders of Thailand’s military-led administration. NBTC vice chairman Settapong Malisuwan disclosed that the regulator requires ‘at least six months’ to prepare for the auction, indicating that the process is likely to be pushed back to 2016, whilst a committee member working on the Digital Economy initiative noted earlier this month that an auction delay to 2016 was likely unless the digital economy draft laws were passed by April. The Council of State is working to modify draft bills in the face of criticism particularly aimed at a cyber-security bill amongst the new legislation.
