Thailand - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 16 Sep 2020 Update History

Report Pages: 131

Analyst: Sebastien De Rosbo

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Thailand’s internet connectivity set to improve with two new submarine cables

Thailand’s telecom sector has seen a continuing shift from fixed-line services to the mobile segment. The decline in fixed-line penetration seen in recent years is expected to continue as subscribers migrate to mobile networks for voice and data services.

The expansion of fixed-line broadband continues though at a relatively low base. There is considerable DSL infrastructure though more recently the emphasis among operators has been to develop FttP networks in urban areas. The transition to fibre from DSL and cable has been facilitated by changes to the regulatory structure which have removed some barriers to investment.

There is also strong interest in establishing Thailand as a data centre hub to serve the region. The size, capacity and spread of existing data centres in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) outside of Thailand is small. Thailand retains some advantages to attract investment, including improved fibre connectivity and international bandwidth. At least two submarine cables expected to be lit in 2021 and 2022 will considerably improve Thailand’s potential as a regional hub.

In addition, the Thailand 4.0 vision – aimed at driving socio-economic development and economic growth via the greater use of ITC – has made progress. Various projects are underway, while at least 100 smart cities are expected to be created over the next two decades.

Thailand’s mobile market is highly developed and has experienced strong growth over the last seven years. Growth has been impacted by measures imposed to address the COVID-19 pandemic, as also through overall maturity and the popularity of multiple SIM card use, which has resulted in a particularly high penetration rate. The sector in general retains considerable potential given the impetus of 5G and the recent spectrum auctions. Anticipated auctions of spectrum in the 700MHz band (being repurposed from digital TV broadcasting), and in the 3.6GHz range will further improve network capacity.

BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus has had a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.

On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.

Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.

The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.

Key Developments

Work begins on the 8,000km MIST submarine cable connecting Thailand to Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, and India;
Process of migrating 700MHz spectrum from broadcasting to telecom services gets under way;
Thailand improves data centre hub credentials;
FttP sector continues to show strong growth in urban areas;
Thailand’s mobile market showing greater impetus towards 5G;
Report update includes the Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, an assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector, the regulator’s 2019 market data updates, telcos’ operating and financial data to Q2 2020, recent market developments.

Key companies mentioned in this report:

TOT Corp; CAT Telecom; True Corp; True Move; TT&T; AIS; DTAC; Thaicom, Triple T Broadband; AIS; DTAC; Cable Thai (CTH).

Key statistics
Regional Asian Market Comparison
Country overview
COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Economic considerations and responses
Mobile devices
Subscribers
Infrastructure

Telecommunications market

Market analysis

Regulatory environment

Regulatory authorities

National Telecommunications Commission (NTC)
National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC)
Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MICT)

Fixed-line developments

Master Plans
Telecommunications Act 2001

Mobile network developments

National security
Spectrum
Tariffs
SIM card registration
Tower sharing

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G/LTE
3G
GSM
Vo-WiFi
Mobile broadband

Major mobile operators

Advanced Wireless Network (AWN)
DTAC
TrueMove
Telephone Organization of Thailand Corp (TOT)
Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT)
TT&T
Jas Mobile

MVNOs

Fixed-line broadband market

Market analysis
Broadband statistics
Broadband service providers

True Online
Triple T Broadband

Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks

Other fixed broadband services

Wi-Fi
Community projects

Digital economy

e-Government
e-Commerce
e-Health

Fixed network operators

Introduction
TOT Corp
True Corp
CAT Telecom
Advance Information Services (AIS)

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
Government Infrastructure Projects
International infrastructure

Overview
Submarine cable networks
Satellite networks

Data Centres

Providers
Government developments

Smart infrastructure

Internet of Things (IoT)
Smart cities
Smart grids

Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Thailand – 2020 (e)
Table 2 – Development of telecom sector revenue – 2017 – 2020
Table 3 – Development of telecom service revenue by type – 2017 – 2020
Table 4 – Development of mobile service revenue by type – 2017 – 2020
Table 5 – Percentage of the population covered by type of mobile network
Table 6 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2010 – 2025
Table 7 – Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2025
Table 8 – Operator share of the mobile market – 2019
Table 9 – Development of AIS’s revenue and annual change – 2010 - 2020
Table 10 – Development of AIS’s financial data – 2010 – 2020
Table 11 – Change on the number of AIS’s mobile subscribers – 2009 - 2020
Table 12 – Development of AIS’s mobile ARPU (postpaid, prepaid, blended) – 2010 – 2020
Table 13 – Change in AWN’s mobile churn – 2016 – 2020
Table 14 – DTAC payments for spectrum concessions – June 2020
Table 15 – Change in the number of DTAC’s mobile subscribers – 2010 – 2020
Table 16 – Change in DTAC’s mobile ARPU – 2010 – 2020
Table 17 – Development of DTAC’s telecom revenue – 2013 - 2020
Table 18 – Development of DTAC’s revenue – 2013 - 2020
Table 19 – Development of TrueMove H’s financial data – 2013 - 2020
Table 20 – Development of True Corp’s financial data – 2010 - 2020
Table 21 – Change in the number of TrueMove’s mobile subscribers (million) – 2010 – 2020
Table 22 – Development of True Move’s mobile ARPU – 2010 – 2020
Table 23 – Historic - TOT’s fixed-line subscribers – 2005 – 2013
Table 24 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2010 – 2025
Table 25 – Change in fixed broadband traffic capacity by platform – 2017 – 2019
Table 26 – Change in fixed broadband access revenue – 2017 – 2019
Table 27 – Increase in the number of TrueOnline’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2010 – 2020
Table 28 – Development of TrueOnline’s annualised fixed broadband ARPU – 2015 – 2020
Table 29 – Increase in the number of AIS’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2015 – 2020
Table 30 – Development of AIS’s fixed broadband ARPU – 2015 – 2020
Table 31 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and penetration – 2010 – 2025
Table 32 – Increase in international internet bandwidth – 2008 – 2020
Table 33 – Inet’s Data Centres
Table 34 – TCC Technology’s Data Centres
Table 35 – Historic - Mobile subscribers, penetration and annual growth – 1999 – 2007
Table 36 – Historic – AIS subscribers and market share – 2004; 2007 – 2013
Table 37 – Historic - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2001 – 2007
Table 38 – Historic - DSL subscribers – 2002 – 2014
Table 39 – Historic- Fibre-based broadband subscribers – 2010 – 2014
Table 40– Historic - True’s fixed-line subscribers – 2004 – 2014
Table 41– Historic - Fixed lines and Penetration – 1995 – 2006
Table 42 – Historic - AIS mobile ARPU (postpaid, prepaid, blended) – 2007 – 2009
Table 43 – Historic - True Move mobile subscribers – 2008 – 2009
Table 44 – Historic - True Move ARPU – 2007 – 2009
Table 45 –TrueOnline fixed broadband subscribers – 2008 – 2009
Table 46 – Historic - DTAC mobile subscribers – 2007 – 2009
Table 47 – Historic - DTAC mobile ARPU – 2008 – 2009
Table 48 – Historic - True Move: ARPU (postpaid, prepaid and blended) – 2007 – 2009

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Asian Telecoms Maturity Index by Market Category
Chart 2 – Asian Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 3 – Telecoms Maturity Index – South East Asia
Chart 4 – Development of telecom sector revenue (THB million) – 2017 – 2020
Chart 5 – Development of telecom service revenue by type (THB million) – 2017 – 2020
Chart 6 – Development of mobile service revenue by type (THB million) – 2017 – 2020
Chart 7 – Growth in the number of Mobile Subscribers and Penetration – 2010 – 2025
Chart 8 – Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2025
Chart 9 – Development of AIS’s financial data – 2010 – 2020
Chart 10 – Change on the number of AIS’s mobile subscribers – 2009 - 2020
Chart 11 – Development of AIS’s mobile ARPU (postpaid, prepaid, blended) – 2010 – 2020
Chart 12 – Change in the number of DTAC’s mobile subscribers (million) – 2010 – 2020
Chart 13 – Change in DTAC’s mobile ARPU – 2010 – 2020
Chart 14 – Development of DTAC’s telecom revenue – 2013 - 2020
Chart 15 – Development of DTAC’s revenue – 2013 - 2020
Chart 16 – Development of TrueMove H’s financial data – 2013 - 2020
Chart 17 – Development of True Corp’s financial data – 2010 - 2020
Chart 18 – Change in the number of TrueMove’s mobile subscribers (million) – 2010 – 2020
Chart 19 – Development of True Move’s mobile ARPU (THB/month) – 2010 – 2020
Chart 20 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2010 – 2025
Chart 21 – Change in fixed broadband access revenue (THB million, Q4) – 2017 – 2019
Chart 22 – Increase in the number of TrueOnline’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2010 – 2020
Chart 23 – Increase in the number of AIS’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2015 – 2020
Chart 24 – Development of AIS’s fixed broadband ARPU – 2015 – 2020
Chart 25– Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2010 – 2025

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Key market characteristics by market segment
Exhibit 2 – South East Asia - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country
Exhibit 3– 5G auction result – February 2020
Exhibit 4– Principal submarine cable networks
Exhibit 5 – Thaicom’s satellite network
Exhibit 6– International internet gateway operators in Thailand

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Thailand - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Thailand’s internet connectivity set to improve with two new submarine cables

Key Developments

Key companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Asian Market Comparison

Country overview

COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Digital economy

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

Purchase with Confidence

Research Methodology

Sample Reports

Hot Topics

News & Views