Frequency reallocation policy likely out next year
REGULATORS are pursuing a move to reallocate idle radio frequencies in a bid to level a telecommunications playing field currently dominated by the PLDT-Globe duopoly.
As legislators raised concerns over the prospects of a third player to be named before the year ends, government officials said on Monday that the new telco would be still be able to operate but acknowledged that it would be at a disadvantage in terms of frequencies.
Edgardo Cabarios, National Telecommunications Commission deputy commissioner, told a Senate hearing that PLDT unit Smart currently held 40 percent of assigned frequencies while Globe had 35 percent, leaving the remaining 25 percent to the so-called new major player.
Acting Information and Communications Technology Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. said a reallocation policy could be released in the first quarter of next year to make the playing field level for all telcos.
“Actually the real problem is that Globe and Smart have more or less acquired [the bulk of assigned frequencies]... leaving less than one-third to the new major player,” Rio said.
“So the new major player [would] operate initially with the present frequency awarded to them, but in the long run it may need additional frequency,” he added.
Part of the plan involves spectrum user fees (SUF) so telcos would be forced to return unused frequencies, Rio continued.
Cabarios said legal issues would have to be settled before a reallocation policy is issued. A frequency allocation study will likely be released before the year ends, he added.
Both PLDT and Globe increased their dominance of the telco industry by snap-