Delay in 5G licence payment on cards

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has been ordered to study a proposal to delay 5G spectrum licence payment in a move to help alleviate the financial hardship of the winning bidders which have been hard hit by the pandemic.

According to a source from the Government House who requested anonymity, a meeting of the national committee to drive 5G technology chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday agreed to assign the NBTC to study the possibility of delaying the 5G spectrum licence payment and other appropriate solutions.

The NBTC was required to propose the solutions at the next meeting which is not yet scheduled. More details are unavailable.

Thailand is a first mover for 5G commercial adoption in Asean, with network roll-out beginning in the second quarter of 2020.

A 5G spectrum licence auction for the 2600MHz, 700MHz…