TOT yesterday said it might not be easy to let Advanced Info Service roam with its third generation network anytime soon even though both of them had already agreed to talk about a possible deal.

Advanced Info Service has lost face because TOT failed to provide the country’s largest mobile operator with data roaming services on its 3G network as agreed,says its chief executive. Wichian Mektrakarn made the comments yesterday after he and vicechairman Somprasong Boonyachai met with TOT executives to discuss their roaming agreements. AIS had told its subscribers that they could use data roaming on TOT’s 3G network from Monday, but the state enterprise did not provide the service. Mr Wichian said AIS agreed to wait for direction on the matter from the National Telecommunications Commission’s board,

which will meet today.

Advanced Info Service will talk with its state-concession owner TOT today in an effort to find a way out of their conflict related to third-generation networks, which has led to threats to disconnect subscribers’ roaming capacity. (The Nation)

Advanced Info Service will disconnect TOT’s third-generation for voice service on its network on Monday in reaction to the state agency’s refusal to allow its subscribers to roam with TOT’s 3G network for data-service access. (The Nation)

AIS deal with TOT threatens small firms: The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) says a 3G data roaming agreement between Advanced Info Service and TOT may raise concerns about market dominance, monopoly and unfair competition.