3 more foreign firms join common tower pool

At least three more international tower providers are set to join the expanding roster of aspiring common tower providers in the country.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said it is set to sign memoranda of understanding (MOU) with three separate groups on Tuesday.

The three new groups are the American Towers, the world’s largest tower company, Singapore based Frontier Tower Associates Management Pte Ltd, and a consortium led by Japan’s JTower Inc.

The new entrants bring the total number of interested common tower providers in the country to 11.

So far, the DICT has signed separate MOUs with ISOC Infrastructures Inc., a company chaired by Megawide Construction Corp. co-founder Michael Cosiquien, ISON ECP Tower Singapore Pte. Ltd., Edotco Group Sdn Bhd and RT Telecom Sdn Bhd of Malaysia, IHS Towers, China Energy Equipment Co. Ltd., Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc., and MGS Construction Inc.

The MOUs indicate that the DICT is considering the capability of these companies as a common tower provider.

But before getting the government’s full support, the firms must first secure an agreement with at least one telecommunications operator in the country for the use of the common towers that they will build.

Once they secure such deals with operators, the DICT will then sign a memorandum of agreement with them wherein the government agency will commit to facilitate and extend full assistance to the companies in complying with legal, regulatory and administrative requirements for their common tower roll out plan.

The DICT is seeking the help of new independent common tower provider to address the Philippines’ need of at least 50,000 new tower locations to adequately service the country.