NBTC okays Bt950m for free Wi-Fi service
USANEE MONGKOLPORN
THE NATION
BANGKOK: -- The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) committee overseeing funding for the development of telecom and broadcasting has agreed to grant Bt950 million to support the Information and Communications Technology Ministry's existing free Wi-Fi project.
Takorn Tantasit, NBTC's secretary-general, said that on October 10 the commission would consider granting the funding for the ministry to roll out its free Wi-Fi service in up to 150,000 new spots nationwide for three years.
Of the total amount allocated, Bt50 million will be provided to the ministry this year and the remainder next year. After three years, the ministry will hand the service over to TOT and CAT Telecom to manage.
The ministry asked NBTC for financial support to promote its existing free Wi-Fi service in a move to ensure equal telecom access nationwide. It finished installing the service in 30,000 spots across the Kingdom this year and plans to expand that to 250,000 spots in the future. The ministry aims to cover at least 80 per cent of the population with broadband network by 2013.
The Nation 2012-10-01