(Bangkok Post via NewsEdge) Thailand's National Telecommunications Commission has blasted TOT over its belated submission of proposed interconnection rates, saying the state enterprise's claim that it was unsure of its cost structure was inexcusable.
If TOT did not know its exact networking costs, 'how could it have fixed rates for all the telecom services, fixed line, value-added and broadband, that it has provided in the past‾' Choochart Promprasit, the NTC chairman said.
Choochart said that TOT should follow the interconnection regime, intended to create fair competition throughout the industry, although it would affect the state enterprise's earnings.
Interconnection rates are the fees that operators charge each other for handling calls across different networks. TOT is resisting the change because it would earn less money than it does from access charges that have been widely criticized by private operators.
The interconnection framework officially took effect on May 17. All other operators met the NTC's June 1 deadline to submit their reference interconnection offering rates, but TOT asked for a 30-day extension.
Choochart said he would soon hold further talks with other operators to refine the rates, as a way of pressuring TOT to move ahead with an offer.
c Bangkok Post
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