DICT: Mislatel begins network rollout despite franchise issue

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said last week new major telco player Mislatel consortium has started deploying its network despite pending franchise issue. 

Mislatel starts network rollout

Despite pending franchise issue

Although the group, backed by China Telecommunications and Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy, has yet to secure an approval from the Congress for its franchise holder Mindanao Islamic Telephone Co.’s (Mislatel) request to transfer controlling interest to partners, acting DICT secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. said the group has already begun the rollout of its infrastructure.

They're taking the risk, but they could not operate these until they get the CPCN (certificate of public convenience and necessity), he told reporters in a chance interview. 

Rio noted the group already submitted needed documents, including detailed roll-out plan for five years, formalize its organizations, register at the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), and secure approval from the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

Once the DICT awards the CPCN, the performance security bond worth PHP 24 billion would also be submitted, he noted.

The Mislatel consortium vowed to provide up to 55 megabits per second (Mbps) of speed, covering 84.01 percent of cumulative coverage, with a capital expenditures of PHP 257 billion for five years.

It was declared as the provisional third telco player last November 2018.

Source: Philippine Star