Thai telecom regulator NBTC has proposed harmonizing mobile tariffs across the ASEAN region and elsewhere in Asia to help improve competitiveness.
The Bangkok Post quotes NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith as stating that ICT ministries in ASEAN are expected to introduce harmonized mobile tariffs by early next year to bring down prices in the region.
Takorn was speaking at the ASEAN symposium last week. He said besides ASEAN members, Japan, South Korea and China have also expressed an interest in harmonizing rates with Thailand.
Mobile rates are higher in developing countries than developed nations, and there is a significant disparity in rates across ASEAN member states.
Thailand's mobile prepaid tariffs are the third lowest in ASEAN after Brunei and Singapore and its postpaid rates are the fourth lowest after Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia, the report states.
Regulation limiting mobile tariffs could be a significant disruption for mobile operators in the region. The GSMA expects Southeast Asia's mobile industry to generate $150 billion in tax revenue in 2020, up from $130 billion last year.
The GSMA is meanwhile urging ASEAN nations to harmonize their mobile broadband spectrum allocations with global standard bands to help reduce the price of network equipment, improve roaming capabilities and reduce cross-border interference.
The industry body last week urged APAC regulators to allocate more spectrum for mobile broadband, noting that the region needs at least twice the available spectrum but the Asia Pacific Telecommunity has so far only earmarked spectrum amounting to 5% more than the spectrum in use today.