Thai operator AIS settled a long-running dispute with state-owned CAT Telecom, agreeing a sale and lease-back deal covering 155 mobile towers over the next five years.

Under an agreement valued at THB186 million ($5.9 million), which includes dispute settlement expenses and other compensation, AIS said it will lease the towers from CAT Telecom and provide maintenance services for the facilities. The deal is back dated to 1 July and runs until September 2025.

The companies agreed to a settlement in arbitration proceedings.

CAT Telecom filed a case with the Civil Court seeking THB860 million in compensation. The dispute related to a concession agreement with a build-transfer-operate condition which required AIS to transfer specific assets it deployed to the state enterprise.

In September 2019, the operator also ended a dispute with TOT after agreeing to lease towers from the state-run company for ten years.