TELECOMMUNICATIONS / True Move sees big role for 3G in convergence strategy

Written by Writer on Monday, November 10th, 2008

TELECOMMUNICATIONS / True Move sees big role for 3G in convergence strategy

SRISAMORN PHOOSUPHANUSORN

True Move, the country’s third-largest mobile operator, is strongly committed to investing in emerging third-generation (3G) mobile broadband opportunities, brushing aside concerns over the economy.

Supachai: ‘Turning point’ for local mobile industry

The strategy anticipates an opportunity to capitalise on an upcoming mobile data communication technology boom.

CEO Supachai Chearavanont said True Move would not adjust the scale of its investment in its 3G project, which has a commercial launch planned for the second quarter of 2009. But he declined to disclose figures now.

“We will be pinning our hopes on 3G mobile service as we see it as a great business opportunity to enhance our business model in convergence,” he said. “This will be a turning point for Thailand’s mobile-phone industry.”

Mr Supachai said the 3G market was now ripe for Thai people due to the greater number of 3G handsets available, increasing figures for wireless broadband internet access and the tech-savvy character of Thai users.

He forecast that conventional 2G technology would become obsolete within the next 10 years and be replaced by the subsequent 3G data consumption-based standard.

Mr Supachai conceded that True Move had been hit hard in the second quarter of this year. It has already revised its revenue target down this year and cut unnecessary expenses to address the problems.

But he said the company maintained its target for the number of new subscribers of between three to five million this year.

Mr Supachai said True Move would implement marketing strategies and goals next year in line with the global and domestic economic climate. But the amount of investment in 2009 would be about the same as in 2008.

The parent True Corp has earmarked an eight-billion-baht investment plan this year. Of this total, four billion baht is for True Move and the remaining four billion will go to broadband and TrueVisions pay television.

True Corp shares closed on Friday on the SET at 1.71 baht, up one satang, in trade worth 112.95 million baht.

Bangkok Post
Monday November 10, 2008