TrueMove plans rapid migration of subscribers from 1,800MHz spectrum
TrueMove has submitted to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission a plan to migrate all 11 million of its subscribers on the 1,800-megahertz spectrum at once to Real Future, the True group company that provides third-generation cellular service on 2.1 gigahertz.
This is meant to free up the 1,800MHz spectrum quickly for the NBTC's reallocation by auction. The watchdog has been concerned that TrueMove has been moving too slowly to transfer these subscribers to other networks.
TrueMove needs the NBTC to endorse this massive migration of subscribers. It cited Article 31 of the NBTC's standard service-contract regulations that telecom operators cannot transfer the rights of subscribers to other networks without the commission's consent.
According to the company's plan, if the NBTC approves the proposal by next month, Real Future will take 30 days to prepare for the mass migration from TrueMove.
During the first three months after the migration, Real Future will enable the transferred subscribers to use cellular service by roaming with the 1,800MHz network.
During the same period, Real Future will offer them new promotional call and handset packages to lure them to upgrade fully to use its 2.1GHz network. They can opt to move to other networks.
An NBTC source said the commission expected to consider the proposal soon, since it wants to clear out all current users of the 1,800MHz spectrum, which it wants to put to auction late this year.
TrueMove's concession expired last September but the NBTC permitted it to continue serving customers for one more year, pending complete migration of all its subscribers to other networks. It had around 17 million customers at that time.