Terms of reference for 3rd telco ready in 55 days —DICT

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Wednesday said it is set to finalize the legal matters of the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the selection of the third telecommunications player within 55 days.

"Ngayon, we are now moving forward at 'yung timeline ho namin is we can come up with the draft TOR for the public discussion, public hearing, mga 55 days ho ito," DICT Acting Secretary Eliseo Rio, Jr. said in an interview on GMA's Super Radyo dzBB.

Rio last week said that the third telco would be chosen on the basis of the bidders' highest committed level of service (HCLOS).

This involves a point system in the commitments of those vying for the slot.

Under the initial draft released last month, the DICT said companies vying for the third telecommunications slot must spend at least P40 billion a year.

They will be scored on the basis of national population coverage (40 percent), minimum broadband speed (20 percent), and annual capital and operational expenses (40 percent).

It will also be required to cover at least 30 percent of the national population, offer at least 5 megabits per second (Mbps) minimum average broadband speed, P40 billion for capital and operational expenditures.

"We are now going to come up with start of the legal process. 'Yung mga proseso noon ay just informal public forum, public discussion," said Rio.

"Itong pagpasok ng third telco or pag-improve ng ating telco services sa bansa, actually ito'y campaign promise pa ni President na ngayon, more or less, ngayon lang nagkakaroon ng paggalaw," he added.

In the same interview, Rio reiterated that the third telco is expected to be named by December.

"Definitely, we will have a third telco by early December," he said. —NB, GMA News