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PHL internet connectivity to reach 60% in 2020 with entry of Dito Telecom, says DICT


Philippine access to internet is expected to reach 60% by the second half of 2020 with the entry of the third major telecommunications player, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said Tuesday.

In a press conference, DICT Secretary Gregorio Honasan II said the entry of Dito Telecommunity Corp. is expected to grow by July 2020 once Dito Telecommunity Corp. enters the market.

"We are expecting to jump up to at least 50%, mga 60%. Mararamdaman natin 'yung epekto mga second (half) next year, mga July. Oobserbahan natin 'yung July," he told reporters in Taguig City.

Honasan said the connectivity of the Philippines is at 30%, which he said was "not very high, but not very low either."

"If you look at the data, we are not doing that bad. 'Yun lang, we have to improve on where we are now, so that our economy will boom, business will drive," he explained.

Dito Telecommunity Corp., the country's third major telco player, said it is on track to meet its commitments to the government by July 9, 2020, marking the first year of operations.

Dito, formerly known as the Mislatel Consortium, was awarded its permit to operate last July 8, and was declared as the new major player (NMP) on November 19, 2019.

It is owned and controlled by Duterte backer Dennis Uy's Udenna Corporation, its subsidiary Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corporation, and Chinese state-owned China Telecommunications Corporation.

With a minimum speed of 27 megabits per second and capital and operating expenses of P150 billion, the consortium vowed to achieve a nationwide coverage of 37.03 percent in its first year of operations.

"Mayroon na tayong third telco, ang performance bond nila is P15.7 billion, 'yun ang nasa table. 'Pag hindi sila nag-perform, kukunin ng gobyerno 'yun," said Honasan.

The DICT on Tuesday also simultaneously launched 27 free WiFi stations, as part of the agency's target to put up 8,073 sites this year alone. — BM, GMA News

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