CAT, Narai in broadband scheme

The Nation (10 November 2007)

CAT Telecom has joined with Narai Property in a pilot project to offer broadband Internet through the power lines at one of the property-developer's projects.

CAT president Phisal Jorphochau-dom said the board had already approved further negotiations with Narai Property on expanding the collaboration.

The state agency has already begun providing the service on a trial basis at Narai Property's Parkland Residence project in Bangkok, and the service will be launched commercially next month.

"We plan to offer it for Bt580 a month," he said.

In the next stage, CAT will approach major state electricity authorities to offer power-line-based broadband services jointly nationwide.

CAT is developing new income sources to counter declining revenue of its flagship international-call service.

During the first nine months of the year, CAT posted total revenue of Bt34.85 billion for a net profit of Bt7.058 billion. Excluding concession fees, revenue was Bt15.671 billion for a net profit of Bt461 million.

Revenue from international calls stood at Bt7.159 billion for the first nine months, down from Bt7.324 billion in the same period last year. Data-communications revenue rose to Bt6.055 billion, from Bt5.424 billion before, while its concession revenue jumped from Bt7.207 billion to Bt19.179 billion.

TOT has also struggled to cope with intense competition from private telecom operators and falling revenue. Last week TOT revealed it would spend Bt64 billion between next year and 2011 to install its new cutting-edge network and eliminate 2,000 staff positions for leaner operations.