After Telstra Corp. Ltd. has announced that it has ceased negotiations with San Miguel Corp. for its joint Internet venture in the Philippines, Globe has issued a press statement calling for the distribution of 700 Mhz band held by SMC.
“This new development about Telstra ending its plan of entering the Philippine market doesn’t change anything as regards to our business direction. The more serious concern is why SMC is being allowed to hold on to the entire 700 Mhz band. We call on the NTC to immediately distribute the 700 Mhz for fast deployment of high-capacity LTE based wireless and fixed broadband that would benefit the entire country. At present, the Philippines is one of two remaining countries in Asia Pacific with pending issues that prevent the utilization of the 700 Mhz frequency.” — GLOBE
Globe and PLDT are the two companies that have been calling for the government to distribute that unused 700 Mhz frequency in favor of active telcos. Aside from the Philippines, the other country that has not utilized the said frequency is Thailand.
According to Globe’s press statement released in November 2015, SMC holds 90 Mhz out of the total 100 Mhz on the 700 Mhz band. The company’s Wi-Tribe and High Frequency Telecommunications control 80 Mhz and 10 Mhz respectively, while New Century Telecommunications holds the other 10 Mhz.
Globe Telecom should be shut down and nationalized !!! The Telecom industry in the Philippines is a cartel and there is no more legitimate competition. Cartels and monopolistic capitalism (as practiced by Globe and Smart) is a heavy yoke on the Filipino people. And these big telecoms keep squeezing every peso from the pockets of the citizenry.
The 700 MHZ band should not be given to Globe or Smart. let there be more competition from legitimate companies.