Thai operator True Corp has proposed state-owned operators TOT and CAT Telecom to sell their telecom network assets to the True Telecommunications Growth Infrastructure Fund. The proposal is part of True's strategy of securng a partnership with both state agencies, The Nation reports, citing an unnamed CAT source. CAT and TrueMove, True's mobile phone unit, have been involved in a network ownership dispute involving 9,000 telecommunication towers. To end the dispute, True also wants to acquire these assets, the source added.
On a build, transfer, operate basis, TrueMove had to transfer the 9,000 telecom towers to CAT, which owns its concession. However, TrueMove refused, claiming it owns the towers. Thus CAT took the case to an arbitration panel. According to CAT's board director and acting president Sanpachai Huvanandana, the agency was in talks with True to solve the network ownership dispute.
CAT and True cooperate to provide 3G-850MHz services. CAT has leased 4,360 telecom towers from the fund to wholesale 3G bandwidth to True's subsidiary Real Move so it can provide a 3G-850MHz service. True is building an additional 3,000 towers for the fund, which will be rented to other operators. These towers are expected to be operational by end-December. The company plans to build 3,000 additional towers in 2015, which the fund will also rent to operators.
True is also in talks with TOT to transfer the agency's core telecom infrastructure to the fund as part of its proposal to become strategic partners. TOT has recently invited all Thai operators to propose plans to become TOT strategic partners. Advanced Info Service, Samart Corp, and TT&T have already submitted their proposals, which are now analyzed by the state agency's board.
