Thai operator AIS agreed to lease RAN equipment to National Telecom (NT) to allow the state-owned company to deliver 5G services using spectrum on its 700MHz band, following approval of a transfer by the regulator.

AIS stated the sharing agreement covers the lease of 13,500 base stations which the operator will build over the next two years and a national roaming deal on its infrastructure until March 2036.

The roaming fee NT will pay is specified in the agreement but was not disclosed.

During the construction of the network, AIS will provide national roaming services to NT without charge.

Under a separate deal, NT will transfer half its 700MHz spectrum to AIS, which has to reserve 20 per cent for MVNOs.

AIS will pay NT THB14.9 billion ($419.6 million) for the spectrum and outstanding annual instalments to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission.

State-owned CAT Telecom acquired two 5MHz blocks of 700MHz spectrum in an auction in 2020 for THB34.3 billion.

NT also is launching 5G services for enterprises using 400MHz of 26GHz spectrum acquired by TOT, which later merged with CAT Telecom.