Thailand sets base price for 3G licences at $138-156 mln

BANGKOK Oct 21 (Reuters) - Thailand's telecoms regulator set reserve prices on Wednesday for a long-awaited auction of third-generation (3G) mobile-phone licenses, a crucial step in reforming the $4.7 billion sector.

The reserve price, the minimum amount Thailand expects to receive from each of four licence auction, will start at 4.6 billion baht ($138 million) for 10 MHz bandwidth, and 5.2 billion baht ($156 million) for a 15 MHz bandwidth.

Prasert Apipunya, deputy-secretary general of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), told reporters the regulator would open the auction in the middle of December as planned for four licences with 15-year terms, with one licence of 15 MHz bandwidth and 3 licences of 10 MHz.

The market expects $150-200 million for a 15 MHz bandwidth licence and $100-150 million for 10MHz bandwidth.

The licensing of faster 3G technology, which allows users to surf the Internet and download music with mobile handsetsis, is a a key step in reforming the sector.

It will change the way operators pay regulatory fees and should lead to a reduction in costs.

The top three telecoms operators are keen to join the auction. Among them are market leader Advanced Info Service ADVA.BK, second-ranked Total Access Communication DTAC.BK and True Move, a subsidiary of Ture Corp TRUE.BK. ($1 = 33.40 Baht) (Reporting by Manunphattr Dhanananphorn; Writing by Khettiya Jittapong; Editing by Jason Szep)