Presidential Adviser on Economic Affairs Ramon “RJ” Jacinto has recently announced that the government is implementing a common tower policy which will prohibit local telecommunications companies (telcos) from building cellular towers by the first quarter of 2019.
According to the government, the new policy will speed up the building process and will allow local telcos to improve on their services, lower the cost for subscribers, and make it easier for any third player that will come in the country.
Boston, Massachusetts-based American Towers Corporation has already showed interest to build cellular towers for free. As of now, the Philippines only has 15,000 towers (half of which are duplicated). Local telcos have to lease space from three to four private tower companies to shoulder the required US$5 billion to build 50,000 towers in five years, which the country needs to be on the same level with Vietnam and its neighbors in the region.
On the other note, the government will still allow local telcos to keep their existing cell sites but they have the freedom to sell them to Tower Corporation.
Getting permits for cellular towers will now be granted within seven days. According to Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Officer-in-Charge Eliseo M. Rio Jr., the application is automatically approved if no action is done. The guidelines for the common tower policy are expected to be finalized by next month.
Source: Manila Bulletin
It looks like this is in preparation for new players in cellular network. Para nga naman hindi na mahirapan pumasok ang 3rd player. Building new towers sa buong bansa for new player(s) means shelling out billions of funds. Pag may common tower na, every player has just to pay fees to use towers.
Problema ng existing networks, baka pilitin ng govt bilhin ang mga critically and strategically located towers.
If i were the CEO of a network, i will open my existing towers to other players for a fee and not sell them. Nakatulong na, kumikita pa.
Hoping…