The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is planning to build cellular towers that can be leased to telecommunications companies in an effort to improve wireless services in the country.
In a report by GMA News Online, DICT Undersecretary Eliseo Rio told reporters that the DICT wants to build cellular towers through a public-private partnership (PPP), meaning the government will partner with a private company for the project. The towers, once ready for use, will be leased to telecommunications companies, making it easier for them to expand their services.
“This will minus the capital outlay costs ng telcos. In the long-term, the government can get back its investment,” Rio said. “In putting up towers, Globe and Smart needs to recover their investment. Pero ‘pag gobyerno ang maglalagay diyan, and Globe and Smart will just lease, wala kaagad hard cash for capital outlays.”
Rio also noted that these are just plans as they also need to listen to investors.
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source: GMA News Online
This is a bad move. If DICT thinks they can recover their investments in a given period of time, telcos are thinking of the same thing. Why pay a lease that will be more expensive in a given period while it will be cheaper in the long run to put up a tower? Plus, they can configure and reconfigure their equipment whenever they need or want.
Maliban na lang kung ipilit ng gobyerno na mag lease sila, sa ayaw o gusto nila. Parang, “no lease, no permit to operate”. hehehehe….