SIPA,CAT,TOT JOIN FORCE TO MAKE

SIPA, CAT, TOT JOIN FORCE TO MAKE “PHUKET ICT INNOVATION PARADISE PROJECT” THE WORLD’S ICT HUB
	The Information and Communication Technology Ministry (ICT) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA), CAT Telecom Plc., and TOT Plc., the country’s three key ICT promotion organizations, for high-speed communications infrastructure construction to pave the way for the “ICT Innovation Paradise” Project. Following next will be a series of road shows to encourage leading IT firms to invest in research and development center here.
Dr. Mun Patanotai, Information and Communication Technology Minister, disclosed that the Phuket ICT Innovation Paradise Project is an initiative of the Software Industry Promotion Agency (Public Organization). The project is aimed to increase the country’s economic value through the development of software and technology. This initiative is a part of the ministry’s attempts to encourage all concerned agencies under its leadership to work together in utilizing the shared resources to their maximum potential. Under this policy, the ministry assigned TOT And CAT Telecom to accelerate their telecommunication infrastructure development plan and to work together to materialize this project. “The Phuket ICT Innovation Paradise Project is a showcase of the close cooperation between all concerned organizations under ICT Ministry, like what we earlier held the TOT and CAT Super Board meeting,” said Dr. Mun. “The Ministry plays a liaison to help smooth all the work and enable the project to successfully take shape for the benefits of the country.” In addition to IT infrastructure construction, the Ministry will work closely with SIPA in amending regulations and rules that do not support the project. At the same time, they will initiate new measures to enhance the project development as well as convincing the world’s leading IT companies to invest in this project. Dr. Rungruang Limchoopatipa, SIPA’s President, said that the MOU between the three organizations under the ICT Ministry is the very first remarkable step of the Phuket ICT Innovation Paradise. The telecommunication and IT infrastructure construction will provide for an enhancing environment that promote research and development of IT and communications products. With good infrastructure, the project will attract more domestic and overseas investment in the country’s ICT industry, which will in the end promote Thailand-made ICT product development for export to the global market. According to the MOU, SIPA, CAT Telecom and TOT will provide integrated ICT services for all target groups. The services are, for example, high quality and affordable Data Center, reliable high-speed Internet and stable international circuits. The three parties will also ensure that the sufficient services are in place to support rising demand in the future. SIPA will coordinate with various organizations to ensure that the project’s missions are achieved. Mr. Phisal Jorphochaudom, President of CAT Telecom Plc., said that to enhance the Phuket ICT Innovation Paradise Project’s success the company has already have plans and projects. The company will ensure that the Gigabit WAN Network construction will be large enough to meet with the increasing demand in Phuket; and the Local Exchange Phuket Project can support individual users’ and Internet service providers’ demand for Internet service. The International Internet Gateway (IIG) in Hat Yai will also be built to support the entire Southern Region. He noted that the network that CAT Telecom developed will act as a multi-lane highway that can accommodate high traffic. In 2008, CAT Telecom will commence its high-speed Internet service, 155 Mbps (STM1), to business operators and general public in Phuket’s Muang and Patong districts. The Internet speed for individual rental circuit will be as high as 1Gbps. The service coverage will be further expanded to other areas in the future. CAT Telecom targets four groups of Internet users and provides different services that best address each group’s demand. For smallbusiness operators or government organizations, the service is provided through the “Fiber to Home” project. For people who are already cable TV subscribers, CAT Telecom will join hands with local cable TV service providers to offer broadband cable TV service. General consumers who wish to use high-speed Internet service can also subscribe to the Hinet by Cat service which will be expanded to cover 70% of the entire province in 2009. For tourists, CAT CDMA high-speed wireless Internet service based on the 20001XEVDO technology is available throughout the province via 35 CAT’s base stations. Mr. Varut Suvakorn, Acting President of TOT Plc., added that TOT has already completed telecommunication infrastructure to support this project. Optical fiber cable network has already been completed by 90%. Telephone switching system and ADSL Internet system have been constructed in high-demand areas, such as in housing projects, industrial areas and shopping centers. TOT has increased TOT Hotspot public high-speed Internet service coverage in five-star hotels and Phuket Airport and will build the TOT Wi-Fi and TOT Wi-Max to meet with demand of investors and consumers in Phuket. A key development plan is the construction of an optic fiber cable network, approximately 200 k.m. in length, around the island to support the development of Fiber to The Home (FTTH) project, a part of FTTx. The network will enable TOT to provide up to 30 Mbps Internet service speed to target customers. In the area where there is huge demand for telephone, TOT has offered the Next Generation Network technology (NGN). In the mean time, it has expanded the gateway and IDC construction in the Southern region to meet with business growth, high Internet service demand and international calls, increasing TOT’s capacity to handle higher traffic. All these projects are progressing well and will be fully available in 2009. ********************************** For more information, please contact • SIPA’s Public Relations Bureau Tel.0 2554 0480-1, Fax. 0 2554 0401 Email: pr@sipa.or.th or click to www.sipa.or.th • Public Relations and Corporate Communications Department, CAT Telecom Plc. Tel.0-2104-3299 / Fax 0-2104-3100 / e-mail: pr@cattelecom.com • Public Relations Department, TOT Plc. Tel.0-2505-1212 / Fax 0-2574-9541 / e-mail: pr_totplc@tot.co.th