Thorough screening delays 3rd telco entry

AS people are clamoring when the Philippines can finally have a third telecommunication company, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said they are first going to make sure that the third telco will be at par with Globe and Smart to sustain its operation.

During the National ICT Summit press conference held at the SMX Convention Center last Thursday, June 21, DICT Acting Secretary Eliseo M. Rio, Jr. said that one of the causes of delay for the third telco’s operation is them thoroughly making sure that the third telco is indeed able to compete with the two incumbent telcos in the country.

So far, Rio said there had been about four to five private companies that have shown interest however as the terms of reference are still up for revision and public discussion, these companies have yet to have given their final decision. Rio said the companies are expected to base their decision on DICT’s draft of terms of reference.

It can be recalled that President Rodrigo Duterte had given the government agency a deadline of March 31 this year to find a third telco.

Rio said the terms of reference had already been completed by two months ago but different government agencies are suggesting that it should still be for public discussion. He mentioned that even Globe and Smart representatives may be present during this discussion.

Despite of this delay, Rio assured they are going to hasten finding a third telco for the country.

“We will really fasttrack it because not only the President Rodrigo Duterte, but the people are clamoring for a third telco. We will have our way. We will have our third telco by the end of the third quarter or early fourth quarter of this year,” he said.