TOT Public Company Limited Transformation and Growth Strategies

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TOT Public Company Limited has undergone significant transformation and growth strategies to become a leading player in the energy sector. The company's efforts to expand its business into new areas have been instrumental in driving its growth.

In 2018, TOT Public Company Limited acquired a 49% stake in the Myanmar Gas Pipeline project, marking a major milestone in its expansion into the international market. This strategic move has enabled the company to tap into new revenue streams.

The company's focus on innovation and digitalization has also contributed to its growth. TOT Public Company Limited has invested heavily in upgrading its infrastructure and implementing new technologies to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

By leveraging its expertise and resources, TOT Public Company Limited has been able to navigate the challenges of the energy sector and achieve remarkable success.

Recent Developments

Sepo, the State Enterprise Policy Office, is proposing a merger between TOT Plc and CAT Telecom, a move that's expected to help the two state telecom firms improve efficiency and reduce duplicate resources.

Credit: youtube.com, Sudaporn Vimolseth, Vice President, TOT Academy, TOT Public Company Limited, Thailand

The combined entity will hold a significant amount of spectra, including the 470MHz, 2100MHz, and 2300MHz bands, as well as the 850MHz band.

With over 2.5 million customers from CAT's My service and 180,000 customers from TOT Mobile, the new company will become a large telecom player, potentially surpassing Dtac as the third-biggest service provider.

Existing users of TOT and CAT sim cards won't be affected by the merger, as the system will automatically match roaming services and allow them to continue using their mobile phones and internet with no interruptions.

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Sepo Urges Merger

Sepo, the State Enterprise Policy Office, is proposing a merger between TOT Plc and CAT Telecom to help the two state telecom firms turn the corner.

The merger plan will need to be approved by the cabinet before it can be implemented. This approval is a crucial step in the process.

Sepo will monitor the consolidated entity's operating performance to see if efficiency is improved and duplicate resources are reduced. This is a key consideration before an exit from rehabilitation is considered.

TOT holds the 470MHz, 2100MHz and 2300MHz spectra, while CAT has the 850MHz band.

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Up Ber 3 Sanga Dtac

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The TOT-CAT merger is expected to make the new firm the third biggest service provider in Thailand, surpassing Dtac.

This is according to Buddhipongse, who believes the combined entity will compete with and eventually surpass Dtac.

TOT Mobile has more than 180,000 customers, while CAT's My has 2.5 million customers.

The merger will create a large telecom company with a strong customer base.

After the merger, the new company will have a combined asset value of more than 300 billion baht.

This includes over 25,000 telecom poles nationwide, nine international underwater cable systems, and six mobile frequency bands.

The combined assets will also include 4,000km of underground cables, 4 million core kilometres of optical fibre cables, 13 data centres, and an international telephone system.

The new company will have a significant presence in the Thai telecom market.

In terms of financial performance, the combined entity will have a total asset value of 142.352 billion baht and 132.915 billion baht from TOT and CAT respectively.

Expand your knowledge: Combined Insurance

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This will make the new company's total asset value soar to 275.267 billion baht.

The combined entity will also have a total revenue of 155.380 billion baht and a net profit of 30.921 billion baht.

This is a significant increase from Dtac's revenue of 81.228 billion baht and net profit of 5.422 billion baht in 2019.

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History and Milestones

TOT Public Company Limited has a rich history that spans over 60 years, with its roots dating back to 1951 when the company was established as a state-owned enterprise.

The company played a crucial role in Thailand's energy sector, providing electricity to the country's growing population and industries.

In 1994, TOT was privatized and listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, marking a significant milestone in the company's history.

Today, TOT is a leading telecommunications and energy company in Thailand, with a strong presence in the country's energy sector.

Origin of CAT

The origin of CAT, or more formally known as กสท โทรคมนาคม จำกัด (มหาชน), dates back to 29 September 2519 when it was established as a state enterprise in the telecommunications sector.

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CAT was born out of the transformation of the communications business of the Communications Authority of Thailand (ก.ส.ท.). This transformation led to the creation of a new company, CAT Telecom Public Company Limited, which took over the telecommunications business.

Prior to its transformation, CAT was involved in postal services as well as telecommunications. However, after becoming a public company, it separated its postal services from its telecommunications business, with the postal services being spun off into a new company called บริษัท ไปรษณีย์ไทย จำกัด.

18 ปีแห่งความพยายามสู่ 'nt'

The journey to create 'NT' has been a long and challenging one, spanning 18 years of efforts. The merger between TOT and CAT was first proposed in 2002, but it failed due to strong opposition from the labor unions of both companies.

The idea of a merger wasn't entirely new, as the concept had been discussed since 2002. However, it wasn't until 2012 that the government started to seriously consider the proposal. The merger was initially met with resistance from the labor unions, who were concerned about job security and other benefits.

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Credit: pexels.com, Contemporary glass office building with geometric facade in an urban setting.

In 2020, the government finally made a breakthrough in the merger talks, agreeing on three key points: a plan for managing personnel, asset and debt management, and agreements on contracts and concessions. This agreement helped to alleviate concerns and paved the way for the merger to move forward.

The merger was finally approved by the cabinet on January 14, 2021, and the new company, 'NT', was born. However, the COVID-19 pandemic presented a significant challenge to the merger process, and the government was forced to extend the timeline for the merger by six months.

Business Strategy

TOT Public Company Limited has undergone significant restructuring efforts to streamline its business and reduce costs. In August 2014, the State Enterprise Policy Commission ordered TOT to submit a proposal that would wind down non-core businesses, allowing it to reduce costs.

The proposed restructuring plan involves splitting TOT into six subsidiary operations that would then partner with private firms. These six key areas include telecoms infrastructure, towers, broadband, mobile wholesale, ICT and cloud, and international gateway/submarine cable.

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TOT plans to upgrade its business through public–private partnership (PPP) and commercial agreements with third-party companies. Companies that have expressed interest in a partnership with TOT include Advanced Info Service (AIS), MVNE One Development, Softbank (Softbank Corporation), Loxley Pcl., and MobileLTE.

Here are the six key areas that TOT plans to focus on:

  • Telecoms infrastructure
  • Towers
  • Broadband
  • Mobile wholesale
  • ICT and cloud
  • International gateway/submarine cable

Restructuring Plan

TOT's restructuring plan is a great example of how a company can transform its business to stay competitive. The plan was ordered by the State Enterprise Policy Commission in August 2014.

The goal is to reduce costs by winding down non-core businesses and partnering with private firms. TOT plans to split into six subsidiary operations.

These six key areas are: telecoms infrastructure, towers, broadband, mobile wholesale, ICT and cloud, and international gateway/submarine cable. TOT aims to upgrade its business through public–private partnership (PPP) and commercial agreements with third-party companies.

Several companies have expressed interest in partnering with TOT, including Advanced Info Service (AIS), MVNE One Development, Softbank, Loxley Pcl., and MobileLTE.

The restructuring plan includes the following key areas:

  • Telecoms infrastructure
  • Towers
  • Broadband
  • Mobile wholesale
  • ICT and cloud
  • International gateway/submarine cable

MVNO Host

Credit: youtube.com, MVNO Business Plan

As a business, hosting mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) can be a lucrative strategy. TOT, a Thai telecommunications company, has successfully hosted two MVNOs on its network: i-Kool 3G and IEC3G, later renamed to Tron IEC3G.

By the end of 2016, the combined market share of TOT and its MVNOs was a mere 0.18%, representing 163,658 subscribers out of a total market size of 90,921,572.

Hosting MVNOs can provide a steady stream of revenue, as seen in TOT's 2016 financial statement, which reported total revenue of THB 30.8 billion.

TOT's experience with hosting MVNOs demonstrates the potential for growth and revenue generation through this business strategy.

World-Class Quality

TOT is committed to delivering world-class quality services. They plan to invest THB 7 billion in a submarine cable project to connect Thailand with Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and America.

This project will improve their services by connecting to the international network through submarine cables. The cable will also connect Singapore with Europe.

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TOT has already invested labor and resources in the project, with a focus on building a submarine cable across the Gulf of Thailand. Their 3G network has covered most areas in Thailand, and they are working on combining 3G and 4G (LTE) technologies to share a 2.1 GHz frequency band.

This investment in infrastructure will support TOT's services and position them for future growth. By staying connected to the global telecom industry, TOT can stay ahead of the curve and deliver innovative services to their customers.

Customer Acquisition Strategy

Tapping into the customer acquisition strategy of NT, a merged entity of TOT and CAT, is crucial. With 2.68 million mobile customers and 1.5 million internet at home customers, NT has a significant customer base to tap into.

The merged entity will have a combined 600 MHz frequency, which is a significant advantage in the market. This will enable NT to offer competitive services and packages to its customers.

Credit: youtube.com, How to Build a Customer Acquisition Strategy

However, the Thai market is highly competitive, with AIS and DTAC being the top players. NT will need to come up with innovative strategies to acquire new customers and retain existing ones.

The merged entity will have a strong presence in the market with 536 branches across the country. This will provide NT with an opportunity to expand its customer base and offer services to a wider audience.

In order to succeed, NT will need to focus on offering competitive pricing, efficient network services, and unique content offerings. This will be a challenge for the company, but it has the potential to become a top player in the market.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is tot in Thailand?

TOT is a leading telecommunications provider in Thailand, offering fixed-line, mobile, and broadband services since 1954. Learn more about its history and role in shaping Thailand's telecommunications infrastructure.

Bertha Hoeger

Junior Writer

Bertha Hoeger is a versatile writer with a keen interest in financial institutions and community development. Her work primarily focuses on banking and microfinance sectors, providing insightful analyses of various Indian financial entities and organizations. She has covered a range of topics, from banks based in Maharashtra and those established in 2019 to private sector banks and microfinance companies.

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