Globe wants a share of unused mobile frequency

The unused mobile frequency currently held by the San Miguel Corp. (SMC) should be distributed to active and operating telecommunications companies to improve internet speed in the Philippines, Globe Telecom Inc. said on Friday.

“Part of the solution to the clamor for faster internet is the harmonization of the 700-megahertz (Mhz) frequency,” Globe general legal counsel Atty. Froilan Castelo said on Friday.

According to Globe, SMC holds 90 Mhz of its 100 Mhz allocation from the 700 Mhz bandwith. 80 Mhz is controlled by its Wi-Tribe, while 10 Mhz controlled by High Frequency Telecommunications. The remaining 10 Mhz is held by New Century Telecommunications.

“Giving active and operating telecommunications companies access to this band will allow the industry to provide broadband and data services at faster speeds and in a more cost-efficient manner,” he added.

As early as 2005, Globe asked the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for an allocation from the unused bandwith for its wireless network. But the commission did not move in favor of the telco, Castelo noted.

“To this date, hindi ginagamit. Gamitin na natin kasi sayang naman – if we want to have world class speed and be globally competitive in terms of our internet,” Yoly Crisanto, Globe senior vice president for corporate communications said in a phone interview.

“The 700 Mhz is actually already being used in several other countries all over the world for mobile data. This will have a role in data services” she said.

According to Crisanto, the bandwidth will put up a backbone network for telecommunication companies to be able to be more cost efficient and increase internet speed using new technology.

Aside from Indonesia, the Philippines is the only other country that has yet to utilize the 700 MHz, Crisanto noted, citing data from the GSM Association, a group of mobile operators and companies worldwide.

Rival Philippine Long Distance Co. (PLDT) is also pressing the NTC to auction off part of the 700 Mhz to industry players that have more subscribers than SMC. 

The question for PLDT is why SMC has a larger bandwith allocation, considering that PLDT and Globe have subscribers.

"We are just asking for fair and reasonable allocation,” PLDT Regulatory Affairs head Ray Espinosa told reporters earlier this week. – VS, GMA News