AIS Affirms Customer Confidence With Premium Quality Services from a Team of Professionals

Monday 28 December 2015 15:26
Mr. Somchai Lertsutiwong, Chief Executive Officer, Advanced Info Service PCL, disclosed, "Following the participation in the 900MHz auction of Advanced Wireless Network Co.,Ltd. (AWN), a 99% subsidiary of Advanced Info Service Plc. (AIS) starting on 15 December 2015 until 19 December 2015, the last day of auction, the Office of National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) announced that AWN was not the winning bidder.

"AIS would like to clarify the decision to stop bidding after the price reached near 76 billion Baht or over 470% of the starting bid price. From the company's perspective, the price would not yield an accretive value to the company and the shareholders. We take thorough consideration based on future competitiveness, weighing the benefit of additional low-band spectrum against financial justification taking into account the technical and commercial feasibility, the sufficiency of existing spectrum, service continuity for 2G customers, and our future financial flexibility. It is more prudent and a better option for AIS to preserve our financial flexibility for other investment opportunities to maintain leading position given the changing competitive dynamics."

"As the service provider holding the number-one market share, what we have always adhered to the core of "quality excellence" in every aspect in order to offer the best digital telecommunication service provision to Thai customers. And that includes creating new opportunities for our allies. Therefore, although AWN decided not to go on in the bid for 900 MHz for the abovementioned reasons, we still have sufficient frequency services for developing a quality network composed of 15MHz of a-2100MHz area currently allowing us to provide 3G services nationwide with a network covering 98% of the country's population. And we can still use this network for another 12 years. We have also obtained 15MHz of an 1800 MHz area this past November. 4G services will be launched in January 2016 for a usage period of 18 years. And our latest accomplishment is the achievement of a joint venture agreement with TOT PCL in adding 15 MHz of 2100 MHz frequencies to our service provision. Of course, in addition to strengthening TOT with continued income, this joint venture will also result in steady overall quality for the AIS network to definitely meet Mobile Internet usage needs in the 4G age for consumers."

Mr. Somchai added, "Our decision not to bid on the 900 MHz will give us financial strength with capacity for quality development with unlimited customer care such as investments in the 4G network, ongoing expansion of the 3G network, expansion of AIS Fibre in addition to offering a wide range of special privileges with customer service development, the creation of new service innovations and services to meet the needs of the digital age, which will clearly be another means of infusing money into the economic system."

Mr. Pratthana Leelapanang, Executive Vice President – Marketing, says, "The number of AIS customers using 2G network on 900MHz has decreased to approximately less than one million and kept on decreasing. The notification regarding the network shutdown after the expiration of the concession has been communicated to the customers. Also, there are approximately 11 million AWN customers roaming onto 2G network. AIS will be more aggressively targeting these customers for quick migration to our available 3G and 4G network by considering subscriber usage profile and spend levels while extending customer reach through different distribution channels. This group of customers will be attracted by targeted price plans or handset campaigns that we will offer in the most cost effective way. To achieve this, one key element is the successful device trade-in campaign using AIS LAVA, our well-established co-brand low-cost smartphone that are very popular and well-accepted by customers since its launch in 2014.

Mr. Somchai summarized in closing, "The proof is in AIS professionalism throughout the past 25 years of service provision. We have always worked under limitations such as few frequencies than every other network and pressure from social factors. We have always been able to survive those times as Number 1, because of our corporate culture and more than ten thousand personnel who have united under the same goal: customer satisfaction. Therefore, our future path leads toward the goal of offering a complete digital world to Thai people from today onward."