Duterte instructed NTC and DITC to ensure China Telecom is "up and about" by Q1 2018

To ensure that there will be a 3rd telco player in the country, President Duterte has ordered DICT and NTC to ensure that China Telecom will be "up and about" by Q1 2018.

China Telecom's logo

In particular, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque cited the President's directive to DICT OIC Eliseo Rio, Jr. and NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba to make their respective agencies approve all applications and licences of China Telecom within seven days upon receipt of full requirements.

If these are not approved within seven days, they are deemed approved, Roque said. That’s how serious the President is on the entry on a third telecoms player, he added.

Mr. Roque also noted that constitutional restrictions on foreign ownership will be observed. 40 percent of the new telco company will be owned by China Telecom as a foreign entity while a consortium of Filipino companies will own the other 60 percent.

Roque also added that there will be measures to protect Filipinos' privacy and national security. It is also the Duterte administration's policy to improve cybersecurity. He also mentioned that DICT OIC Rio assured him that they will be transparent so that the public will know what is happening and will have fewer misgivings about security.

In case you missed it, Malacañang recently announced that the Chinese government has selected China Telecom to invest in the Philippines to be the 3rd major Telco player in the country.

China Telecom Corporation Limited is one of the biggest telecommunications companies in China with around 215 million total mobile subscribers as of end 2016 data.

However, let's all wait and see. Yes, maybe they can grant the licenses to China Telecom that fast, but setting up a telco that big is not that easy. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Source: Interaksyon