Thai state-owned operator TOT reportedly plans to launch trial TD-LTE services over the 2.3-GHz band early next month.
The operator is waiting for permission from regulator NBTC to use network equipment for the non-commercial trial service.
Private operators AIS, Dtac and True Corp have been invited to join the trial, which is scheduled to begin on August 4, which is National Communications Day in Thailand.
The trial will be conducted in Bangkok and Ratchaburi. TOT plans to install 20 2.3-GHz base stations along parts of the routes of Bangkok’s Skytrain public transport service. The trial in Ratchaburi will meanwhile use Huawei equipment.
TOT holds 60 MHz in the 2.3-GHz band, and plans to invite international network suppliers and local operators to jointly introduce wireless broadband services over the spectrum, the report states, citing sources.
The report states that TOT has already approached Huawei, Nokia, and Ericsson to discuss the project and plans to select the supplier with the best proposal to roll out the network.
According to the sources, TOT plans to initially wholesale the 2.3-GHz bandwidth to local operators, and use the revenue from this agreement to finance its own 2.3-GHz rollout.
