DTT subscribers stand at 14.3mn in Thailand, says NBTC

Digital terrestrial television subscriber base has increased to 14.5 million in Thailand since the launch of DTT in April 2014, said a report from National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).

This viewership data excludes Channel 3, Channel 7 and Modernine TV which simulcast analogue TV programmes on the digital platform, added the report.

According to Takorn Tantasit, Secretary General of NBTC, the viewer base on the digital terrestrial TV platform was growing, particularly after distributing coupons to help cover the cost of digital receivers by the broadcasting regulator. Takorn says that this was mainly the result of new quality programmes aired by major players Workpoint Creative TV, GMM Grammy’s One channel and RS Channel 8.

Takorn anticipates that an average rate of advertising is likely to increase to THB50,000 per minute because of the growing audience base and new quality content.

NBTC to announce qualifying bidders

Thailand’s long anticipated digital TV auction seems right around the corner with the regulatory body National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission expected to finally announce the names of the qualifying bidders for the 24 digital terrestrial TV licences on December 9th.

With names of the qualified bidders nearly announced, the auction is now likely to happen between December 20 and December 27. A source privy to the auction said, “The committee is expected to call for the bid during December 20 to 27, earlier than previously expected. It is also considering the possibility of organising a bid for two TV-licence categories on the same day in order to speed up the process.”

There are 29 companies who had submitted 41 applications for the 24 licences. For the seven SD variety channels that are up for auction there are 16 companies who have submitted bid documents. There are nine firms who will be bidding for the seven HD variety channel.Once the bidding is over, the channels themselves will be launched in the first quarter of 2014.

NBTC gets 23 bidders so far

Thailand’s broadcaster, National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) which is in the midst of preparing for digital terrestrial TV auction, has currently sold the application documents of broadcaster licences to 23 companies.

There may be more as the documents will be sold until end of September 12 in Thailand and according to reports there were as many as 38 various corporations who were interested in the bidding process.  Broadcast licenses are being sold for 24 channels and 34 bidding documents have been sold up until now.

NBTC had earlier pushed the dates of the actual from October to an unspecified date later this year. Once the bidding documents gets sold by the end of September 12th, the broadcaster will take an additional 45 days to announce who has qualified to take part in the auction itself.

Thailand´s NBTC postpones digital TV auction

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunication commission (NBTC), the broadcasting regulator in Thailand has announced that the digital TV auction which was earlier slated to take place in October might be pushed to the end of the year.
Col Natee Sukonrat, head of the broadcasting committee confirmed that the auction could be delayed to either December or January in order to give more time for potential bidders to prepare for the auction. The information memorandum (IM) will be released by NBTC on August 27th and applications will be open for potential bidders between September 10th and 12th. The regulator would then take 45 days to announce those who qualified for the auction.
Due to the delay, the broadcasting of digital TV in Thailand would be pushed back to either February or March of 2014 rather than the earlier projected date of December 5th. Sukonrat said, “The three-month digital TV auction time frame aims to ensure a smooth process and provide opportunities to a wide range of participants.”
The auction itself will be held within a time frame of 30 days either in December or January. The auction is being held for 30 DTT channels out of which 24 will be for commercial purposes and 6 would be for public service.