Alcatel-Lucent Thailand has called on the government to make moves to accelerate the full-scale deployment of 4G services to help foster a digital economy.
Managing director Sebastien Laurent has also urged the NBTC to allocate more wireless broadband spectrum, the Bangkok Postsaid.
He cited World Bank estimates that a 10% increase in broadband penetration could boost GDP in emerging countries by 1.38%.
Alcatel-Lucent estimates that with action from the government Thailand's 4G subscriber base will reach 4.6 million by 2016.
VoLTE and mobile video services would give the nation's mobile operators much-needed new revenue streams, and small cells and other technologies could help them take advantage of location-based services.
On the fixed-line front, broadband customers are expected to reach 5.3 million in 2016 and fiber coverage to reach 400,000 premises, the company estimates.
Plans for a full-scale 4G auction were delayed on the orders of Thailand's military junta in July.
They are now expected to take place in 2015, but factors including regulations restricting foreign dominance of mobile operators and complications over the ownership of the required spectrum could hold up the process.