Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) has received an order to supply fixed line network equipment and related services from Thai GSM operator DTAC to support the launch of international voice telephony services. The five-year contract, of undisclosed value, follows DTAC winning an international direct dial (IDD) licence earlier this year and setting up a new wholly owned unit, DTAC Network, for the purpose of launching IDD services.
Under the deal NSN will deliver a complete international gateway solution including its softswitches (SURPASS hiE 9200), trunk media gateways (SURPASS hiG 1200), announcement server (SURPASS hiR 200), as well as its NetManager and IP Transport products. The deal builds on an existing close cooperation between the cellco, a subsidiary of Norway’s Telenor, and the Finnish-German technology vendor.
TeleGeography’s GlobalComms database notes that Thailand’s IDD and international gateway markets have heated up, with several new players entering the market to compete with state-owned former monopoly CAT Telecom (and to a lesser extent its sister telco TOT). Fixed line operator TT&T’s Triple T Global Net unit won an IDD licence in November 2006, whilst further IDD concessions went to market-leading GSM provider AIS’s subsidiary AIN Globalcomm and fixed line and mobile provider True Corp (issued in January 2007). True launched internet gateway services in January 2007, under a concession awarded in August 2006 to a subsidiary, True Internet Gateway (formerly Sky Office). Advanced Datanetwork Communication (ADC, a joint venture of AIS and TOT) and ISP CS Loxinfo were also awarded IIG licences in August 2006. Triple T Global Net also received an international internet gateway (IIG) licence in May 2007.
