Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) determined True Corp met the two major conditions set before its tie-up with dtac in March, with Bangkok Post reporting the operator lowered tariffs and improved coverage.

NBTC found in random checks True reduced prices by an average of 12 per cent and maintained the same number of base stations it operated before the merger, with signal quality unchanged, the newspaper wrote.

Last month True said it aims to decommission 1,800 sites where there is duplication of coverage by year-end.

The operator claimed both 4G and 5G coverage improved to above 99 per cent and 90 per cent, respectively.

The regulator added a number of conditions aimed at protecting consumers to the controversial deal, which created the largest mobile operator in the country with 51.4 million subscribers. Previous market leader AIS ended September with 44.4 million.

True faces a lawsuit filed by a consumer group, after the country’s highest court ordered a lower bench to accept the case against the regulator for allowing the merger to proceed.