The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has announced its five-year strategy which entails a plan to expand broadband services and pursue its universal social obligation (USO) to remote areas across the country.
The NBTC plans to spend 48 billion baht on increasing the reach of telecommunication networks in all communities to at least 98% by 2021, starting this year.
There are now more than 44,000 neighborhoods which are without hi-speed internet, 3,900 of which are in the care of the NBTC. The Ministry of the Digital Economy and Society takes responsibility for the rest. The NBTC also plans to set up community internet service centers at more than 2,000 schools and government offices.
NBTC Deputy Secretary-General Korkij Danchaivichit said last week that the NBTC had revised its fee collection criteria, allowing licensed service providers to set aside 2.5% instead of 3.75% of their net revenue for universal social obligation projects. The decision was aimed at helping small companies.
