JAS Mobile Broadband might need six months or more to launch its 4G-900MHz service fully, because of the time-consuming process of installing telecom equipment and completing the adoption of the mobile-phone number portability system.
JASMBB recently approached Number Portability Co, which manages the system for cellular operators, about becoming one of its shareholders. Shareholders can integrate their operations with the numbertransfer system. JASMBB is expected to take about six months to finish the integration, a telecom-industry source said yesterday.
Number Portability was set up by five telecom operators to be the clearinghouse of the fixed and mobile phone number portability systems.Those wanting to embrace the system have to hold shares in the company.
JASMBB had said it would debut its services this quarter. It reportedly applied for 3 million mobile-phone numbers from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission. According to the NBTC's rules on installation of telecom network equipment, any company planning to use existing telecom towers is required to hold a pub-lic hearing at every site where it will install its equipment, which can extend the process.
Building telecom towers at new locations also requires the company to hold a public hearing at every site.
JASMBB has approached CAT Telecom on leasing the state enterprise's telecom towers and has a plan to build its own towers.
A group of JASMBB executives met with NBTC officials yesterday to learn more about the NBTC's rules.
Korkij Danchaivichit, deputy secretary-general of the NBTC, said after the meeting that the NBTC was ready to support JASMBB, which wants to begin the service as soon as possible