“Nobody can stop this anymore.”
Despite the uncertainty of its partnership with Australia’s Telstra, San Miguel Corporation will still put up a third telco in the Philippines to provide fast and affordable 4G LTE network.
“Nobody can stop this anymore. When we launch, we expect to lure subscribers right away with better quality and cheaper Internet,” SMC president Ramon S. Ang said in an interview with Inquirer.
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| No more Telstra? |
Telstra said on Twitter that there’s no guarantee that they will operate here in the Philippines. Nevertheless, Ang added that SMC is already testing the network and will roll out this year, 2016.
San Miguel Corporation currently holds the license to operate under the 700MHz band. A 4G LTE network in this part of the spectrum can easily reach subscribers in remote areas and penetrate concrete walls of buildings resulting in better signal reception.
On the other hand, Globe and PLDT are currently using the 1800MHz and 2100MHz bands for 4G LTE services. The two telcos recently asked the National Telecommunications Commission for a portion of the 700MHz band.
SMC rebuked this and said they need the band for the new telco. The NTC isn’t in favor with the duopoly’s proposal too. Director Edgardo Cabarios cited the need to promote competition in the market.
Ramon S. Ang further promised that the new telco will result in better internet access for the Filipino people who are suffering from slow and expensive services in light of the continued rise in demand with smartphones, social media and online based jobs. “We won’t switch it on until it’s perfect,” he said.
