AIS, TOT 3G tie-up delayed

The board of Thai state-run telco, TOT, told the country’s mobile market leader Advanced Info Service (AIS) to wait four to six months before beginning the proposed data roaming service on the state enterprise's 2100MHz 3G network to give its contracted mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) some marketing leeway, reports the Bangkok Post, according to TeleGeography CommsUpdate.

Apparently in retaliation, AIS old TOT to cease voice roaming on its network and scrapped a pricing agreement on call rates for its mobile phone services.

It had been proposed that AIS, which operates a small-scale 3G network using 900MHz frequencies, would begin offering its users 3G data roaming on TOT’s 2100MHz network today for a trial period, but TOT faced an outcry from the five MVNOs – Loxley, Samart I-Mobile, 365 Communication, IEC International and M Consultant Corporation – which are committed to reselling services over the TOT 3G network which launched in Bangkok in December 2009.