PLDT wants unused 700 MHz spectrum allocated to tackle Internet woes

Allocating the unused mobile frequency to operating telecommunications firms will help speed up the country's Internet connection, according to Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT).

"We should be given access to a very valuable frequency that will solve the speed problems of mobile telecommunications in the Philippines," PLDT Regulatory Affairs head Ray Espinosa told reporters on Tuesday.

The telco giant is seeking a "fair share" of the 700 megahertz (MHz) mobile frequency, a part of which was awarded to companies with no services on offer.

"Marami tayong subscribers at marami din ang Globe Telecom Inc. Pero bakit iyong wala pang subscribers ay mas maraming allocation? We are just asking for fair and reasonable allocation," Espinosa said.

The government issues a license for the use of radio frequencies for wireless telephone and telegraph systems and radio communication systems through the National Telecommunications Commissions (NTC).

"The government should, hand-in-hand with the incumbent operators and even new entrants, make sure the scarce radio frequency spectrum is made available on a fair and reasonable basis," Espinosa said.

PLDT noted agreeing to offload 10 MHz of third generation frequency when it acquired Digital Telecommunications Philippines Inc. (Digitel) in late 2011 to ensure the fair allocation of the limited spectrum.

"When we acquired Digitel, the NTC made a bold move of requiring for the first time a telco operator to surrender and return frequency because the NTC said you have too much... So we divested and complied," Espinosa noted. – VS, GMA News