(Bangkok Post via NewsEdge) Thai carrier DTAC is ready to focus on its international mobile business with plans to launch VoIP and international direct dialing services by the end of this year.
The mobile operator also expects to start providing 3G mobile services next year, with plans to apply for a 3G license as soon as the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is ready to issue one.
DTAC chief customer officer Sunti Medhavikul said the move represented a new chapter for DTAC to shift its focus to value-added services, which were expected to account for up to 25% of total revenue next year.
Sunti said the country's non-voice business had grown by up to 50% per year over the past couple of years, compared with the flat to negative growth of the voice business.
Sunti said international roaming was expected to account for 7% of DTAC's total revenue this year and 10% next year.
DTAC has 1.9 million postpaid subscribers, of whom 130,000 use international roaming services.
Sunti said DTAC expected to have a total of 2 million postpaid customers by the end of this year. Postpaid customers account for about 4.5 million of Thailand's 32 million mobile phone users.
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