Globe partners with Aboitiz to build common towers

GLOBE Telecom has partnered with the Aboitiz Group and Frontier Tower Associates Philippines (FTAP) for the deployment of cell sites in Cebu, Davao, and Subic to support the common tower policy being implemented by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

In a disclosure to the stock exchange on Wednesday, Globe announced that it has signed last Tuesday a Memorandum of Understanding with Aboitiz infrastructure business unit Aboitiz Infracapital and FTAP on the leasing of cell sites, towers and other passive infrastructure.

“Tower sharing is a means to address the

demand for better internet experience. Our collaboration with tower experts will enable us to fast track the construction of cell sites and towers in unserved and underserved areas as well as congested urban centers,” Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu said.

For her part, Aboitiz Infracapital Chief Operating Officer Cosette Canilao explained that the initiative will strengthen the existing coverage and capacity of Globe in these areas. The towers and other infrastructures may also be shared to other telco providers.

“Our partnership with Globe represents a significant first step in our effort to ramp up the country’s connectivity through infrastructure. Through the new common towers that will be built, Aboitiz Infracapital, in partnership with FTAP, aims to build the right infrastructure that will advance the digitalization of businesses and communities,” Canilao said.

Aboitiz Infracapital has signed an agreement last June 19 with FTAP for the development, construction, operations and maintenance of a common tower network in the country.

The project will be able to utilize Aboitiz Group’s extensive experience in building and operating provincial utility networks such as Visayan Electric Co., Davao Light and Power Co., and Cotabato Light and Power Co.

On the other hand, FTAP is a member of the Frontier Tower Associates Group (FTA), an established international tower operator and service provider which had rolled out and operate thousands of towers in the Asean region as well as built more than 1,000 towers in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Globe has signed the first common tower agreement in the country with ISOC Infrastructure and Malaysia-based tower firm edotco Group last June 17 to build 150 cell sites in the Calabarzon Region.

The DICT aims to build at least 50,000 towers in the country within seven to 10 years to increase cell tower density at par with other countries in the Southeast Asian region.

The department has identified at least 2,500 sites in government-owned properties as locations for the common towers.