The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has fined five mobile phone operators a total of 140.32 million baht because they each failed to comply with requirements.
Thakorn: consumer protection is the priority in 2013.
Each mobile operator -- Advanced Info Service (AIS), Total Access Communication (Dtac), True Move, TOT Plc, and CAT Telecom -- was fined separately, for varying reasons.
NBTC secretary-general Thakorn Tantasit said TOT was ordered to connect its network with Dtac's network in 2008, but it had yet to do this and so was fined 20,000 baht a day, dating back to Oct 8, 2010.
The company also failed to regulate the registration of prepaid numbers under the 2001 Telecom Business Act and for this was fined 80,000 baht a day from July 6, 2012. Therefore, TOT must pay a total of 30.94 million baht, as of Jan 3, 2013.
Three other companies -- AIS, Dtac and CAT Telecom -- were each fined the same amount for their failure to regulate the registration of prepaid numbers. Each has to pay 14.56 million baht for violating this regulation, as of Jan 3.
True Move also has not yet regulated the registration of prepaid numbers, but the company is in a litigation process in court and so has been granted dispensation from the fine at this time by the Central Administrative Court.
Photo by Patipat Janthong
AIS, Dtac and True Move were also fined for their failure to remove the expiration period on refills for prepaid numbers. The NBTC ordered them to each pay 100,000 baht a day since May 30, 2012 -- or a sum of 21.9 million baht -- as of Jan 3.
As of Jan 3, AIS and Dtac have to pay fines of 36.46 million baht each.
Mr Thakorn said 2013 is the NBTC's consumer protection year so the office will speed up implementing measures to ensure that consumers receive a quality service at fair charges. The office will also try to solve complaints filed by consumers.
The amount of the fines would increase based on the number of days mobile phone operators continued to not implement the rules. The NBTC can also set fines at higher rates, he said.
The NBTC on Wednesday said it will enforce the regulation under which mobile phone calls made from Jan 1, 2013 are set by law to a maximum rate of 99 satang/ a minute.
People can call for assistance at 1200 or 02 634 6000 if they believe they are being overcharged.