Vodafone expresses interest to enter PH telco sector

UK-based telecommunications company Vodafone expressed a desire to vie for the third telco slot, a senior government official said. 

Vodafone to enter Philippine telco industry?

According to Budget Secretary Benjanin Diokno, Philippine economic managers met with officials from the British group during their visit in United Kingdom late in September, where Vodafone revealed its plan to enter the country's telco industry.

Diokno even noted Vodafone previously had been tapped by duopoly PLDT and Globe Telecom for a certain project.

They have been used by Smart or Globe for a very small project but they don't want that kind of arrangement anymore. They want to come in - in a big way. Not only as a minor partner of an existing telco. 

The government official, however, noted that Vodafone has yet to give official confirmation on this. 

They are doing their due diligence. There's no expression of intent or EOI yet. So let's just wait.

As reported, search for the third telco player, a challenger to break the PLDT-Globe duopoly, would begin next week, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said. 

The DICT is targeting to award frequencies before the year ends. 

Wait for our official list of companies wanting to get the third telco slot! 

Source: Rappler