In a landmark move set to redefine digital connectivity in Southeast Asia, Thailand’s leading digital infrastructure provider, AIS, has officially launched “AIS 5G+,” the first commercial network in the ASEAN region powered by cutting-edge 5G 3CC (3 Component Carrier Aggregation) technology. This strategic deployment, which aggregates three distinct 5G frequency bands, establishes a new benchmark for mobile network speed, capacity, and stability, directly supporting the exponential growth of Thailand’s digital economy. The launch is complemented by a nationwide expansion of a full-scale 5G Standalone (SA) network and the introduction of Voice over New Radio (VoNR) services, collectively heralding a new era of communication and technological empowerment for the nation.
Bangkok, Thailand – Advanced Info Service Plc. (AIS) has once again cemented its position as a telecommunications pioneer, not just within Thailand but across the entire ASEAN landscape. The company today announced the commercial availability of its revolutionary “AIS 5G+” intelligent network, a technological feat achieved through the innovative implementation of 5G 3CC, or 3 Component Carrier Aggregation. This advanced technique seamlessly combines three separate 5G spectrum bands—2600 MHz, 2100 MHz, and 700 MHz—into a single, powerful data pipeline, marking a significant strategic investment in the nation’s core digital infrastructure. This initiative is designed to meet the soaring demands for data consumption and to accelerate Thailand’s trajectory towards becoming a fully-fledged digital economic hub.
This development is far more than a technical upgrade; it represents the materialization of AIS’s vision to bring world-class innovation to Thai consumers and businesses. The initial rollout of this groundbreaking service has commenced in the Sathorn district of Bangkok, one of the capital’s most vital Central Business Districts (CBDs) and an area characterized by some of the highest 5G data usage in the city. AIS has confirmed plans for a phased expansion to cover other high-demand zones throughout the country, ensuring the benefits of this enhanced connectivity are widely distributed.
The core of this announcement, the 5G 3CC technology, can be understood as dramatically widening the lanes of the digital highway. By aggregating three distinct frequency bands, AIS is leveraging the unique strengths of each to create a superior, unified user experience. The 2600 MHz band offers a wide bandwidth for maximum speed, while the 700 MHz band excels at providing broad coverage and penetrating physical obstructions. When fused together through 3CC technology, the result is a network of unparalleled efficiency and performance. According to AIS, this technological synergy yields tangible improvements, boosting average user speeds by over 16% and increasing network capacity by a remarkable 23%. These figures are profoundly significant in an economic context, particularly in dense urban areas like Sathorn and Silom, where they translate into a fluid, reliable digital experience for everything from high-definition video conferencing and cloud gaming to rapid downloads of large files, even during peak usage hours.
Mr. Wasit Wattanasap, Head of Nationwide Technical & Operations Business Unit at AIS, elaborated on this milestone. “AIS never stops developing the country’s digital infrastructure to always be at the forefront,” he stated. “We continue to enhance the potential of our 5G network with cutting-edge innovations to meet the changing needs of our customers at all times. Today marks another significant step with the launch of 5G+ featuring 5G 3CC technology, which allows compatible smartphones to connect to multiple frequency bands simultaneously. This lets users experience improved performance in speed, power, and stability, even in densely populated areas. We are starting the rollout in the Silom and Sathorn areas first, as these are identified as zones with high 5G usage, before expanding to other areas.”
Beyond the immediate speed and capacity enhancements of 3CC, AIS is aggressively pushing forward with the full-scale expansion of its 5G Standalone (SA) network. This represents the evolution to “true 5G,” a network architecture that operates entirely independently of the legacy 4G core network, unlike the earlier 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) deployments. The transition to a full SA infrastructure is critical as it unlocks the complete suite of 5G’s transformative capabilities. The most profound of these is ultra-low latency, which drastically reduces the delay between sending and receiving information. This near-instantaneous response time is the key enabler for a host of future-defining technologies, including industrial automation with AI, immersive augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) experiences, seamless cloud gaming, and the safe operation of autonomous vehicles.
Furthermore, the 5G SA network empowers AIS to offer Network Slicing, a revolutionary capability for its enterprise clients. This technology allows the operator to partition its single physical network into multiple, isolated virtual networks, or “slices.” Each slice can be custom-configured with guaranteed resources—such as dedicated bandwidth, specific latency levels, and heightened security protocols—to meet the precise needs of a particular application or industry. This opens up a vast array of new business-to-business opportunities, from a slice for a manufacturing plant that guarantees real-time control of robotic arms, to a slice for a hospital dedicated to supporting remote surgery and telehealth, or a slice for a broadcaster ensuring stable, high-quality live event streaming. This capability simply cannot be realized on older NSA networks.
Complementing the SA network expansion, AIS has also fully launched Voice over New Radio (VoNR), making it the first operator in Thailand to offer the service on a commercial scale across its 5G SA network. VoNR facilitates voice calls directly over the 5G network, elevating the quality and functionality of voice communication to a new standard. Users will experience crystal-clear HD voice quality, faster call connection times, and the ability to maintain high-speed 5G data connectivity without interruption during a voice call. A standout feature of this service is Dual SIM Dual Active (DSDA), which elegantly solves a long-standing issue for users of dual-SIM smartphones. With DSDA, a user can be actively using data on one SIM card—for example, tethering to a laptop—and can simultaneously receive an incoming call on their second SIM without the data session being disrupted or disconnected.
The successful deployment of these advanced technologies hinges on a robust and ready ecosystem. AIS has worked in close collaboration with leading global smartphone manufacturers to test and develop the software required to support 5G 3CC and other new features. This proactive partnership ensures that the network’s capabilities can be immediately accessed by consumers. Currently, over 600,000 devices in the market have been updated to support the technology. Numerous smartphone models are now able to display the “5G+” symbol on-screen when connected to the AIS network, including devices from Samsung (Galaxy S24 / S24 FE / S24+ / S24 Ultra, Galaxy S25 / S25 Ultra / S25+, Z Flip6 / Z Fold6), Honor (400 Pro, Magic 7 Pro), iQOO (13, Neo 10, Z10 5G), OPPO (Find N5, X8, X8 Pro, Reno 13 Series), Realme (GT 7T), and vivo (V40 5G, V50).
In his concluding remarks, Mr. Wasit summarized the company’s overarching strategy. “The launch of AIS 5G+, along with the expansion of the 5G SA network and VoNR services, reflects AIS’s role as a leader in communication technology, aiming to elevate the national network to a new standard. We are moving into a new era of communication that is fast, powerful, and covers all usage areas, guided by the concept that ‘every point with users must have quality service.’ We are focused on providing comprehensive services that allow users to connect and communicate effectively, thereby creating a perfect digital experience for customers in every dimension.”
This unceasing investment in innovation by AIS, which serves 45.7 million mobile subscribers and 5.1 million broadband customers, does more than just enhance the digital lives of its users. It lays a formidable foundation for Thailand’s business and industrial sectors, empowering them to leverage next-generation digital tools to sharpen their competitive edge. This pioneering step forward in network technology will undoubtedly serve as a critical engine for driving the sustainable growth of Thailand’s economy in an increasingly digital world, firmly positioning the nation at the vanguard of the region’s technological transformation.
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