Total Access Communication (DTAC), Thailand's third-largest mobile operator, has officially launched its latest 2300MHz 4G service to increase the number of postpaid customers at a double-digit rate while maintaining its prepaid clients.
The company has 5.7 million postpaid and 16.1 million prepaid customers.
Called DTAC Turbo, the service operates on the 2300MHz spectrum in cooperation with TOT, allowing for 5G-ready TDD (time division duplexing) technology, touted to provide a more stable experience when customers use the internet.
DTAC Turbo is available in dense mobile traffic areas within Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Phuket, and is targeted for rapid expansion thereafter.
The service, the latest 4G TDD network with 60MHz of bandwidth, is considered Thailand's widest single block of spectrum. The company said TDD technology provides smooth data transmission even during peak periods and is increasingly available with the expansion of cell sites.
Chief commercial officer Panya Vechbanyongratana said the company is developing internet service to capitalise on growing demand for online data consumption.
Mr Panya said huge demand for online streaming has driven the number of 4G subscribers and active 4G devices in the DTAC network to 8.5 million or 39% and 11.9 million or 55% of the total, respectively.
"DTAC Turbo will fully support the rapid growth of Thailand's mobile internet usage," he said.
According to a global digital report in early 2018 by We Are Social, there are 93.6 million mobile internet connections with an average daily usage time of 4.56 hours in Thailand.
The country is one of the world leaders in daily high-speed mobile internet usage.
Thais are the No.1 consumers of chat app data in the world and No.2 consumers of video data, according to the report.
Mr Panya declined to elaborate on how many clients the company aims to bring on board after the launch of the 2300MHz spectrum, but said it expects double-digit growth rates for postpaid customers while maintaining its prepaid client base.
DTAC has spent 500 million baht on marketing efforts to launch its new service.
The company aims to roll out 4,000 base stations on the 2300MHz network to provide 4G service in 37 provinces by year-end, with nationwide coverage by 2019.
Chief executive Lars Norling said DTAC Turbo operates on previously unused spectrum, helping solve the issue of Thailand's insufficient bandwidth needed to grow mobile data usage demand.
