01.07.09 Thailand falls behind with 3G technology
Source: Bangkok Post
As long as Thailand lags behind its neighbours
in issuing 3G broadband network licences, Thais will lose out on
opportunities in exploring the services such as e-books and remote
health monitoring.
Thailand is the last remaining country in the Asean group without 3G
services, with Vietnam and Laos finally receiving licences this year.
Kaneungjit Suriyathumrongkul, country manager of Qualcomm Thailand,
said the new technology would help rural users who cannot connect to
the Internet through landline telephones to fully access the web at
high speed. The new wireless technology will open up more services to
users and accelerate new access options to consumers, as well as open
more vertical applications to mobile operators and software developers.
The service would also open new business model possibilities and
could allow service providers who own their networks to offer vertical
applications.
New 3G service operators are called Mobile Virtual Network Operators
(MVNOs) and include, for example, the Kindle, a wireless reading device
from Amazon which downloads books over the 3G network.
MVNOs can be found in many sectors, especially healthcare services,
which can use mobile devices and biosensor technology such as remote
monitoring to identify heart rate, respiratory rate and motion in
various environments like urgent care, chronic care, occupational and
fitness.
In addition, there will more variety of services related to
location-based devices enabled to enhance safety, security and
efficiency, such as tracking of vehicles, elderly people, children,
pets, and so on. Device embedded with sensors will broadcast their
location via the wireless broadband network.
These wireless technologies will help to connect many more devices
into the network which links not only people-to-people but also
machine-to-machine.
So, in theory, the future of communication would potentially connect
not only six billion people, but also their be 50 billion machines.
However, as is usual at the beginning of 3G service roll-out , the
major user groups will likely be accessing the Internet through
notebooks and mobile devices, especially in areas that have no fixed
broadband service or mobile Internet availability.
Consumers will see various types of mobile Internet devices such as
notebooks with embedded Gobi modules from Qualcomm, delivering
multi-mode 3G mobile Internet access on either HSPA or CDMA2000 EV-DO
networks. Currently, there are several global vendors shipping this
technology, including Acer, HP, Dell, Lenovo and Panasonic.
For smart phone and mini-notebook devices, the company offers the
Snapdragon chipset platform, which helps to optimised power consumption
for all-day battery life. This will be embedded in leading global brand
manufacturers.
Additionally, its plans to introduce "PC alternative" Qualcomm
technology and build prototypes to help developing countries to connect
to the Internet without personal computers. For example, devices such
as televisions or monitors could be equipped to access the web using 3G
networks.
"We plan to market this technology in India, Indonesia, Vietnam and
Thailand, at a price of approximately $150 (5,110 baht) to help reduce
the digital divide, especially in sub-district areas," Kaneungjit
concluded.
| 
