THE National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has deferred the date it will switch off the 2G-900MHz service of Advanced Info Service (AIS) to December 22 from the originally planned November 19,NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said yesterday.
The decision follows its telecom committee's resolution on Monday to put off the auction date for 900MHz licences on the 900-megahertz spectrum from November 12 to December 15. The Cabinet yesterday acknowledged the new auction date.
The auction date for 1,800MHz licences remains unchanged at November 11.
Some 2.2 million subscribers of AIS's second-generation service on 900MHz are yet to migrate to other networks after the operator's 900MHz concession under TOT ended on September 30.
The NBTC has reclaimed the 900MHz spectrum from TOT so that it can be put up for auction.
In a related matter, TOT's labour union yesterday submitted a complaint against the 900MHz licence auction to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha via the Office of the Civil Service Commission.
In the complaint, the union asked for fair treatment from the prime minister regarding possible damage to TOT if the auction takes place.
If nothing happens after the complaint, the union will seek an injunction at the Central Administrative Court against the 900MHz auction.
Prayut said after yesterday's Cabinet meeting that in regard to the conflicts centring on the 900MHz spectrum, all parties should collaborate to help push the country forward. The problem could not be solved if all parties want to take all the benefits.
He added that only the auction date for the 900MHz licences had changed, while the 1,800MHz auction could be held as originally planned.
However, CAT Telecom's labour union also made a submission to the Office of the Civil Service Commission yesterday, setting out its stance against the NBTC plan to auction 1,800MHz licences.