Thai state owned operators TOT and CAT Telecom and privately-owned operator Dtac will collaborate on the development of 5G testbeds in the nation.
The operators have signed a public-private partnership agreement to conduct both laboratory and live testing of 5G use cases at the 5G testbeds at Chulalongkorn University and the Eastern Economic Corridor, the Bangkok Postreported.
Applications due to be tested will focus on applications including smart farming, smart cities and environmental management.
Specifically, TOT will test smart poles for smart city applications, CAT Telecom will trial 5G equipped air pollution sensors, and Dtac plans to test 5G connected drones to support real-time precision farming.
The report cites Dtac CEO Alexandra Reich as noting that collaboration with vertical industries including co-investments will be essential for securing the resources required to pay for 5G infrastructure development.
Meanwhile Dtac is urging the government to develop a clear 5G spectrum roadmap encompassing high, mid and low band spectrum, and including a clear allocation timeline, in order to support the industry's preparations for the launch of 5G in Thailand.
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