Thailand’s state-owned operator TOT expects to post a loss exceeding 1 billion baht ($32.8 million) for 2010 due to high expenses and the aftermath of the country’s worst floods in years.
The firm’s acting president Noppanat Hutacharoen said TOT had operating revenues of between 28 billion baht to 29 billion baht last year.
Noppanat further revealed the firm plans to invest 2.1 billion baht in its broadband coverage, in a bid to raise Internet revenue from 7.35 billion baht to 8 billion baht.
TOT is also pinning its hopes on a windfall resulting from its planned nationwide 3G network rollout. Budget for the rollout has been set at 19.98 billion baht - 17.44 billion baht for the procurement of network equipment, 540 million baht as reserve and 2 billion baht to upgrade TOT’s existing 3G network in Bangkok.
The telecommunications firm is expected to conduct an e-auction on January 28 for the supply and installation of equipment for the planned 3G network.
Four consortia have submitted their bids – the SL consortium, comprising Smart Corporation, Loxley, Huawei (TH) and Nokia Siemens Networks; the AU consortium, comprising Advanced Information Technology (AIT), United Communications (Ucom) and Alcatel-Lucent (Thailand); Ericsson (Thailand) and AS Associate; and Forth Corp PCL and ZTE.
The winning bidder is expected to sign on the contract between February 15 – 18.