Energy remains a challenge for digital connectivity — EDOTCO

POWERING tower sites has been identified as the major problem in enhancing digital connectivity in the Philippines, according to an official of EDOTCO Towers, Inc.

“Energization is still a challenge. [In] the telecom industry, the challenge really is connecting power to our sites. At least from our perspective, we would like to see similar efforts that have been shown in permitting process in energization issues,” Suraj Narayanan Kutty, EDOTCO Philippines country manager, told BusinessWorld in a recent interview.

The company is aiming to expand its network in the country by allotting about P3.7 billion for expansion next year to address the country’s need for enhanced connectivity.

The country’s mobile network operators are using shared towers to help accelerate and eventually lower the cost of digital transformation in the country while also helping improve the state of the Philippines’ internet connectivity

“ARTA (Anti-Red Tape Authority) has played a quite pivotal role in making the tower business easier. The Executive Order (EO) 32 reducing the number of permits really helps us to speed up the rollout of sites,” he said.

EO 32 streamlines the process for securing permits for telecommunications infrastructure, which applies to all current applications for permits, licenses, certifications and authorizations. The permit application includes those submitted by public telecommunication entities, cable TV operators, VAS providers, ICT technology providers, independent tower companies and distribution utilities.

“At the end of the day, building is fast but then there is no power. There is no supply of power. The right of way approval requirement from the local government units [is also a problem], so those are the things that need to be managed,” he said.

The Department of Energy has earlier announced that it is planning to eventually include local government units (LGUs) in its energy virtual one-stop shop to address delays in project approvals, citing that some power generation companies have said the biggest hurdle in their projects is the delay in approvals in LGUs. —