AIS offers free services to UTCC students

The Nation (13 November 2007)

Students at the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) who use the Advanced Info Service (AIS) network will be able to call other AIS network users for free from the UTCC campus for two months.

The service was launched yesterday between AIS and UTCC.

The AIS launch of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) on the UTCC campus covering 29 rais will enable the students to call other users through the wi-fi system.

AIS CEO Vikrom Sriprataks said that UTCC students who use the AIS network can contact others who use AIS service through the wi-fi system for free.

AIS launched the service at the university campus to compete with True Move, which currently dominates the younger market, said Prathana Leelapanang, AIS assistant vice president for Wireless Business.

He added that the company is targeting at least 1,000 UTCC students to use this service for two months for free. After two months, AIS will reconsider how to charge the users.

Although the service is likely to become popular, especially among 23 million AIS users, it has some limitation. At present, only 12 mobile-phone models can accommodate the VoIP system and each model is pricey at no less than Bt10,000 each, said Prathana.

Nonetheless, AIS is prepared to expand the service. AIS recently set up a subsidiary called "Super Broadband Network" to oversee the VoIP service. The new subsidiary will invest an additional US$60 million (Bt2 billion) next year on VoIP and Internet application services.

After tapping the campus market, the company plans to expand into the corporate sector and the mass market.

Porames Songsaengterm, vice president for IT, UTCC, said the university has invested Bt15 million on IT on the 29-rai campus to enable students to make the best use of new information technology.

At present, the university has 21,000 students, and around 30 per cent should access the VoIP system over the next six months. He said the university also welcomes other networks. He said it will not limit itself only to AIS if it receives offers from other networks.

CAT set to introduce its own two-SIM-card handset brand

Bangkok Post (13 November 2007)

CAT Telecom is diversifying into the mobile-handset market by producing its own ''CAT Phone'' brand equipped with two SIM cards, in an effort to offset its plunging core international direct dialling (IDD) revenue.

The state telecom enterprise is also preparing to tap into the fast-growing broadband power line business as another new revenue source.

Piriya Siriboon, a board spokesman, said the CAT Phone featured SIM cards for the CDMA and GSM mobile systems, enabling users to automatically switch to the system with the best signal.
The state agency is in talks with Chinese handset makers to produce its CAT Phone brand. It plans to place the first order for 1,000 handsets to test the market before distributing them commercially.

Mr Piriya said the diversification was part of CAT Telecom's strategy to seek new revenue sources in order to offset the effects of greater availability of privately run IDD operators.

CAT Telecom has suffered a sharp drop in IDD revenue, which generates about 50% of total earnings excluding concession revenues.

The state enterprise posted contract revenue of 651 million baht in the first nine months of this year. Even though CAT had an increase of 56% in overall revenue to 34.84 billion baht in the period, only 15.67 billion baht came from its own business operations.

CAT Telecom's core revenue _ 55% of its total _ now is concession fees from Total Access Communication (DTAC), True Move and Digital Phone.

''Without concession earnings, we cannot stand by ourselves if we could not establish other businesses, given the shrinking revenues,'' Mr Piriya said.

CEO Phisal Jorphochaudom said CAT Telecom was preparing for a broadband power line trial _ delivering IP-based broadband services on electric power lines _ at Parkland President Tower.

AIS subsidiary invests in VOIP

Bangkok Post (13 November 2007)

Super Broadband Network, an affiliate of mobile leader Advanced Info Service, planned to invest US$60 million to provide voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) service on its Wi-Fi wireless internet access network, targeting university and business communities. AIS chief executive Vikrom Sriprataks said SBN, which was licensed by the National Telecommunications Commission to provide internet access service and applications on the internet, had joined University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) to test its VOIP service, called AIS Net Call.

Commercial operations will be launched next year.

With the aim of providing integrated telecom services through technological convergence, AIS hopes the service will be an answer to all solutions for all groups of customers.

The UTCC has invested in a Wi-Fi network, with coverage now almost 100%, indicating its determination to be a leader in wireless high-speed internet access technology, Mr Vikrom said.
Students who join the test of the new VOIP service on the Wi-Fi network would be allowed to make calls from their GSM/Wi-Fi dual-mode phones to all numbers on the AIS network free of charge until the end of the year.

The rates for the new service will be determined before the commercial launch, he said.