Now Telecom inks deal with Aboitiz Infra, Frontier Tower for common telco towers

Now Telecom Co. Inc. has signed deals with Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. and Frontier Tower Associates Management Pte. to lease common telecommunications towers.

The companies have agreed to discuss and negotiate the lease of build-to-suit sites, towers, and passive telecommunications infrastructure and facilities that will be made available for the installation of Now’s facilities and equipment in order to provide telecommunications and internet services.

“We welcome the government’s initiative to foster tower sharing because it reduces the cost of deployment while also accelerating the network rollout as ‘difficult or costly to acquire’ sites become feasible as the cost is shared among operators,” Now Telecom president Rodolfo Pantoja said in a statement on Thursday.

“We started our engagement with the Aboitiz Group for the provision of broadband connectivity to Union Bank of the Philippines. We are happy to explore more opportunities with Aboitiz and its partner, Frontier Tower Associates, in key areas such as shared infrastructure,” Pantoja said.

On June 19, Aboitiz Infra and Frontier Tower signed a cooperation agreement to develop, construct, operate, and maintain common towers.

Aboitiz Infra brings to this project the Aboitiz conglomerate’s extensive experience in building and operating provincial utility networks like the Visayan Electric Co. Inc., Davao Light and Power Co. Inc., and Cotabato Light and Power, Now Telecom said.

Frontier Tower, a member of established international tower firm Frontier Tower Associates Group, is experienced in rolling out and operating thousands of towers in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region. —Ted Cordero/VDS, GMA News