Baby steps: TOT’s 3G/4G plans crawl towards parental approval

Thai state-owned telco TOT’s delayed second-phase 3G investment plan was yesterday approved by its board, leaving it needing permission from the ICT ministry and the cabinet before proceeding. TOT plans to roll out a total of 5,200 3G W-CDMA/HSPA base stations nationwide by November 2012 – 4,250 by October – under an overall THB30 billion (USD970 million) expansion programme, while extending coverage through infrastructure sharing with private operators, to reach an eventual total of 12,000 3G base stations across the country serving 80% of the Thai population. As reported by local newspaper The Nation, the telco’s board simultaneously approved a plan to utilise its existing 2300MHz frequencies for 4G mobile trials by the end of this year, although it needs regulatory and state approval for the plan too.