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Telenor’s majority-owned mobile operator Total Access Communication (DTAC) announced a B40bn (US$1.3bn) expansion of its 3G network expansion through 2014. Telenor CEO Jon Fredrik Baksaascommented elsewhere that his company is seeing growth opportunities in Asia as Europe faces economic uncertainties. Telenor received a third of its revenue from Asia in the third quarter of 2011 as subsidiaries in Thailand, Malaysia and Bangladesh helped the company to a record-high cash flow and earnings that beat forecasts.
DTAC’s investment is slated for both upgrading its existing 2G network on the 850-megahertz frequency to high-speed packet access system, and auctioning a 3G licence on 2.1-gigahertz bandwidth scheduled by mid-2012. DTAC CEO Jon Eddy Abdullah was quoted saying: "Even our concession life will be valid for another six years and 3G customers number less than 20% of the total subscriber base. We're destined to increase our investment to provide latest technologies," he said. The investment will also help to assuage customers who have been hit by several recent service outages at DTAC.