AIS: Driving Digital Transformation for Thai Businesses

As the largest operator in Thailand, AIS is committed to unlocking digital technologies, especially 5G, which is regarded as a critical infrastructure for enhancing the country's prowess in the digital economy. In this fast-paced digital world, Tanapong Ittisakulchai, AIS's Chief Enterprise Business Officer, sheds light on AIS's transition from a digital  life service provider to a cognitive tech co. In his role  as  CEBO, he shares how AIS is accelerating digital transformation for Thai businesses and highlights the company's progress in developing 5G use cases.  

AIS has proposed the digital strategy "cognitive tech-co". What are the key drivers that led AIS to begin its transformation journey from a telco to a tech-co?

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, we're witnessing significant changes in how consumers behave and how businesses operate. To remain competitive in this dynamic business environment, AIS has proactively responded to this paradigm shift by embarking on a transformational journey, transitioning from our previous role as a "Digital Life Service Provider" to embracing the identity of a "Cognitive Tech-Co". This transformation represents a fundamental change in how we approach our services and solutions. We've infused innovation and intelligence into every facet of our customer-centric offerings, aligning them with the ever-evolving demands of the digital age.

Our transformation journey encompasses several vital components including:

• Data Insights and Customer-Centric Approach: We are leveraging data insights and adopting a customer-centric approach as the key elements to enable us to deliver fresh and valuable experiences to our customers. AIS has conducted many personalized services campaigns in order to meet the customers' service needs, for example, the campaign by age that allows customers to join AIS special activities on the date as per notified age, the campaign by interest that enable the customers who have plan to travel to get the information of SIM that they can use during travelling and by target, service offering will be depending on Nationality or Language, etc.
• IT Intelligence: Our IT intelligence plays a crucial role in ensuring that we provide agile, stable, and secure services and solutions, allowing our customers to navigate the digital landscape with confidence. myAIS Application, AIS Personalized Super App, is one of the examples that reflect our effort to offer the new value service for customers. This application allows customer to view fees, pay bills, register, and monitor packages in one stop.
• Autonomous Networks: The Autonomous Network helps AIS reduce 10%+ workload, improve 20%+ network efficiency, optimize 10% customer experience, and enhance network intelligence and automation level. These networks empower us to provide uninterrupted services to our customers, 24/7.

All of these are the key components that support AIS services across different fields including:

• Mobile: We've enhanced our 5G technology with AI and advanced data analytics to offer personalized, real-time, and interactive experiences, providing an exceptional mobile service.
• Fixed Broadband: AIS's home network solution seamlessly blends innovation with round-the-clock customer support. This ensures uninterrupted online experiences, now reaching 8.8 million Thai households for peace of mind.
• Enterprise Business: AIS is committed to driving digital transformation for all types of enterprises. We facilitate this journey and collaborate with top-tier partners to expand our service offerings, enabling organizations to thrive in the digital age.
• New Digital Services: We offer personalized, real-time, and interactive solutions like Content and Insurance Services to deliver the best possible experiences across all dimensions for our customers.

And with the partnership concept of an "Ecosystem Economy", the model emphasizes comprehensive cross-sector integration. We generate mutual growth by working with a range of partners to support Digital Transformation in various national industrial sectors by cooperation with a variety of vertical industries and business expert partners to co-create the 5G solution that can enhance the efficiency of industry verticals and businesses and fulfill their differentiation needs.

All efforts of AIS aim to deliver the best service to customers. We can overcome the challenges faced by traditional telecom providers, such as slow revenue growth, ARPU pressure, and profit challenges.

As CEBO, what is your mission to help customers enhance their business capability in digital transformation journey?

Our mission is to serve Thailand's sustainable digital economy by accelerating digital transformation for Thai businesses with a comprehensive suite of digital technologies and services delivered by highly competent and trusted professionals. We have rolled out the "Growth, Trust, and Sustainability" program focusing on delivering trusted and resilient digital services and solutions which meet customers' need for sustainable growth through five strategies, which are:

• Connecting 5G ecosystem to enhance businesses: AIS is working with partners in both the public and private sectors to create an ecosystem that supports various industries.
• Enhancing secured network performance with intelligent network: AIS provides both wireless and fiber optic cable connections to enterprise customers with gateways to both domestic and international connections.
• Enhancing trusted digital infrastructure and platform of cloud and data center: We are working with world-class partners extending a suite of digital platforms encompassing Cloud Solutions, Cyber Security, IoT services, and ICT Solutions.
• Enhancing digital marketing and data-driven business capability: AIS is committed to supporting businesses with advanced data analysis tools.
• Delivering solutions and managed services by trusted professionals: With our long experience expert, AIS Business can deliver end-to-end managed services which meet business needs accurately, efficiently, and professionally.

Another important part to support my mission is “Growth, Trust, and Sustainability” program. AIS has enabled our customer “Growth” by creating agility for businesses with AIS 5G and Cloud Platforms, Data Insight & Lifestyle as a Service and tailor-made solutions for Business and Verticals. “Trust” with modernizing trusted digital infrastructure enables customer to improve efficiency, agility and security. This is delivered through comprehensive solutions as Sovereign Cloud, SD-WAN and Secured Connectivity. “Sustainability” involves the creation of an ecosystem for developing innovative solutions. AIS, joining with partner, developed various solutions that help create sustainable business, such as energy and carbon emission management solution.

From AIS strategies, how AIS leveraged 5G network capabilities to enable customer business digital transformation journey?

Although AIS is the leading player in the Thai and 5G industries, we keep going to accelerate our network capability, create and design solutions and tailor adjustments for the needs of each industry with maximum efficiency.  

With AIS, the efficiency of 5G network infrastructure, both in 5G coverage and the completeness of bandwidth and spectrum, allows us to deliver a vast array of infrastructure solutions and platforms rooted in 5G technology. These encompass fixed wireless access (FWA), network slicing, multi-access edge computing (MEC), and cutting-edge offerings like the 5G private network, which enables the flexibility to tailor the network to specific customer requirements. Recently, AIS launched "Paragon Platform," a one-stop platform to manage 5G, edge computing, and cloud computing, which will help industry and businesses level up their digital transformation.

You once said in a panel discussion that more value will be created in 5G vertical solutions than in 5G horizontal solutions. How is AIS collaborating with industry players in terms of developing new 5G use cases?

AIS has a comprehensive ecosystem of 5G, which includes the interconnectivity with most of the technology domains, for example, IoT, Edge and Cloud. These enable AIS to create a wide range of solutions and services.

With the new chapter of AIS in vertical sector, could you tell us more about AIS 5G Use Cases?

As I mentioned earlier, AIS has expanded our service portfolio of 5G services to support various industry verticals such as Manufacturing, Transportation and Logistics, Property and Retail. We and our expert vertical partner have co-created 5G solution to help our customer to overcome the obstacle they face in their vertical industry. The examples of AIS 5G use cases are:

• Smart Manufacturing Use Case with Somboon Advance Technology: AIS offers a variety of 5G solutions, including 3D Vision-Robot, AS/RS-Warehouse, and unmanned AGV, enabling Somboon Advance Technology to transition into smart manufacturing and overcome the limitations inherent in the manufacturing industry.
• Smart​ Green Mining Use Case with SCG (Siam Cement Group): The 5G Smart Autonomous Vehicle Solutions facilitate sustainable industrial advancement, managing routing for the shipment of materials and equipment within the industrial zone. This solution ensures continuous mutual connectivity, minimizing downtime and reducing CO2 emissions by over 35% annually compared to traditional methods.
• 5G AI Autonomous Drone System Case with ARV Co., Ltd (part of PTT Exploration and Production): AIS introduces the latest 5G use case featuring the 5G AI Autonomous Drone System, known as Horrus, marking a pioneering achievement by Thai engineers. Supported by AI to enhance its capabilities, these drones can operate autonomously along predetermined flight paths and schedules. They have the capacity to monitor and detect abnormal activities in real time, promptly alerting the Control Center.

How is AIS's collaboration with ZTE contributing to Thai businesses, 5G adoption?

Our collaboration with ZTE is all about empowering businesses through 5G technology. AIS is the network service provider with the most frequency spectrum and the best network coverage in Thailand, and we give top priority to innovating for the country sustainably. We have strategically partnered with ZTE in three components:

• Upgrading Thailand's 5G network to world-class digital infrastructure, not only in the matter of speed, but also intelligence, controlling itself in real time (5G Smart Autonomous Network).
• Jointly developing solutions for the business sector, for industry and for the wider public, and enhancing competitive capabilities under Thailand 4.0.
• Delivering a vast range of 5G services to improve Thai people's lives sustainably. The first 5G A-Z Center in Thailand is at the crux of working towards this goal. It is a transformative moment to unlock Thailand's potential and take the country to the next level, focusing on business and industry. We have inaugurated Digital Transformation in productivity and management, which will directly power the country's digital economy.