The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has urged mobile operators to prepare for an anticipated surge in requests to change service providers after the third-generation (3G) wireless broadband service begins, reports the Bangkok Post.

The NBTC plans to hold a 3G licensing auction on the international standard 2100-megahertz frequency in October and has set a reserve price for licenses at 4.5 billion THB (US$141.4 million) for five MHz of bandwidth.

The anticipated surge could be exacerbated with the expiration of the True concessions with CAT and the ongoing uncertainty over the ability of CAT and True to reach an agreement over how to comply with an NBTC order to amend their 3G network contracts, which could ultimately see the revocation of CAT's 3G license.