MANILA -- The terms of reference (TOR) setting the guidelines for the entry of a new major telecommunications player is yet to be approved by an oversight committee created by President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said a number of issues are needed to be settled before the TOR is released to the public and the telco industry stakeholders.
“The resolution of said four key issues is desirable to ensure not only the successful implementation of the selection process of the NMP (new major telco player) but also, more importantly, the sustainability of the NMP that will be selected so as to avoid the repeat of what happened in the past,” DICT Acting Secretary Eliseo Rio said in a statement.
Among the issues discussed during the Oversight Committee meeting last Monday, May 28 include the distribution of frequencies which were formerly awarded to Bayan Telecommunications Inc. (Bayantel); establishment of a common tower policy which may be leased to new and existing players for the installation of communication facilities; commercialization of the National Grid of the Philippines-Transco dark fiber-- unused fiber optic cables that may be utilized for the transmission of communication signals; and the reduction of interconnection rates among mobile networks.
“Once these major issues have been fully resolved, the draft terms of reference will be revised, if necessary, and shall at once be published to gather comments and inputs from all stakeholders,” Rio said.
The DICT aims to name a third player within the year.
Under Administrative Order No. 11, the President has ordered the oversight committee to assist the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in the formulation of the TOR for the selection and assignment of radio frequencies for the entry of new telco player. It will also oversee compliance of the NTC and other implementing agencies with the TOR provisions.
The committee is composed of the DICT secretary as chairperson; Finance secretary as vice chairperson, Office of the Executive Secretary and the National Security Adviser. (PNA)
