Thai True Move to invest $150 mln on 3G in '08-09

BANGKOK, July 3 (Reuters) - True Move, Thailand's third-largest mobile phone operator, said on Thursday it planned to invest 5 billion baht ($150 million) in 2008-2009 to develop a new third-generation mobile service.

True Move, a subsidiary of True Corp TRUE.BK, planned to launch a trial 3G service on its existing network by the end of this year, chief executive Supachai Chearavanont told reporters.

"We are now waiting for regulators to allow us to import equipment. We should be able to start a trial by the end of this year," Supachai said.

Last week, state-run CAT Telecom allowed True Move to develop 3G services on the 850 MHz spectrum, making it equal to second-ranked Total Access Communication DTAC.BK (TACC.SI: Quote, Profile, Research).

TAC, controlled by Norway's Telenor (TEL.OL: Quote, Profile, Research), has said it expects to launch the service using HSDPA (high speed downlink packet access) in early 2009.

HSDPA is an advanced 3G mobile technology that enables faster Internet browsing and video and music downloads than existing systems.

Thai telecoms operators are competing to deploy new technologies to tap revenues from a nearly saturated sector. They are also keen to receive 3G licences on a new 2.1 GHz spectrum from regulator.

Market leader Advanced Info Service ADVA.BK was the first Thai operator to launch a 3G service in Chiang Mai in May. However, regulatory issues forced AIS to put off plans to expand coverage and offer more services.

True Corp, founded by the Chearavanont family of the Charoen Pokphand Group, Thailand's largest agribusiness conglomerate, is the country's only fully-integrated telecoms service operator.