Thai operator AIS is still awaiting a final regulatory decision on its buyout of broadband operator 3BB, but a new study on the impact of the merger could finally spur a ruling one way or the other.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will meet this week to review the plan by AIS to take over Triple T Broadband, which operates under the brand name 3BB, according to the Bangkok Post.
AIS struck a deal in July 2022 to acquire 100% of 3BB, along with a 19% stake in Jasmine Broadband Internet Infrastructure Fund (JASIF). The NBTC board has already approved the plan in principle, but has yet to officially review the plan as part of its agenda.
According to the Post report, there is disagreement within the NBTC whether it has the power to stop the merger in the first place. Either way, it typically reviews mergers and offers any needed remedies to ensure the merger complies with regulations.
It has yet to do so with the AIS/3BB deal, despite having tasked four subcommittees to examine the various impacts of the proposed merger.
According to the Post, the board has been waiting for a report from SCF Associates, which was commissioned by NBTC as an international advisor to study the economic impact of the merger. The second half of that report arrived earlier this month.
Former NBTC commissioner Prawit Leesathapornwongsa told the Post the NBTC is likely to give its blessing to the merger, although that may include remedies to ensure competition such as disallowing AIS to offer bundled fixed-mobile broadband packages.
The merger would reduce the fixed-broadband market to just three competitors: AIS, True Corp and National Telecom (NT). The merger would make AIS the biggest fixed broadband provider by market share at close to 44%, with True at 37.3% and state-owned NT a distant third at 14.3%.