Smart starts tie-ups for common towers

PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. has started choosing partners from the government’s common tower company pool to build cellular towers in its preferred sites.

Smart vice president for legal and regulatory group Roy Ibay said the company has signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) with two common tower companies, namely ISOC Infrastructure Inc. of Megawide Construction Corp. co-founder Michael Cosiquien and Malaysia-based edotco Group Sdn Bhd.

Aside from the two tower firms, Ibay said Smart is also in negotiations with Aboitiz InfraCapital and several others which are part of the roster of 24 common tower providers accredited by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

“We support a common tower policy which is consistent with constitutional standards and respects the right of a mobile network operator to select the contracted common tower providers that meet the operators qualifications and requirements,” he said.

Globe Telecom Inc. has signed agreements with ISOC, edotco and Aboitiz InfraCapital.

Globe’s agreement with ISOC and edotco involves construction of an initial 150 common towers in various sites in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), while the agreement with Aboitiz InfraCapital, in partnership with Frontier Tower Associates Philippines, involves the possibility of leasing buildto-suit sites, towers and other passive telecommunications infrastructure and facilities in Cebu, Davao and Olongapo.

PLDT chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan earlier said the company see no problem working with the tower companies for the construction of new towers.

“In areas where we think it’s more economic for them to build it, or because the towers can be shared with others, then sure, we’re willing to do that,” he said.

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