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PT&T confident it can compete with or without China partner
December 19, 2017
PHILIPPINE Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (PT&T) is confident it can compete in the market as the third telco player, regardless of the outcome of its “preliminary” talks with China Telecom.
“We consider ourselves as the de facto third player,” PT&T Chairman Salvador Zamora told BusinessWorld last week.
He noted the talks with China Telecom are “very preliminary,” adding the Chinese company is also in talks with other local providers.
Malacañang earlier said the Chinese government picked China Telecom to enter the Philippine market. As a foreign telecommunications company, it has to find a local partner with an existing franchise.
While hopeful of a deal with China Telecom, Mr. Zamora said they will still continue its national broadband network rollout “with or without” the Chinese company.
PT&T will tap Chengdu Outwitcom, a wireless communication and networking technology provider, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese company ZhongXing TianTong Technology Co., for the network and Ruijie Networks Co. Ltd., as supplier.
For the partnership, PT&T plans to spend $200 million, while the Chinese companies will invest $200 million.
Mr. Zamora said Chengdu Outwitcom was able to roll out Wi-Fi service in the outdoor areas of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) complex during the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and meetings last month.
“It was their contribution for ASEAN 50. Their signal was so strong that even the delegates who were inside the ASEAN 50 were using their Wi-Fi. Most delegates ended up using their facilities,” he said, adding the company was able to roll out the service in just one week.
Part of the deal with the Chinese companies is to provide Wi-Fi stations for emergency services, particularly during natural disasters.
“We will apply for emergency service… China wants to donate Wi-Fi stations,” Mr. Zamora said.
PT&T currently operates a new 10+ Gbps (Gigabits per second) broadband network in Metro Manila and in Regions 3 and 4. The company currently primarily serves enterprises.
Mr. Zamora said they are talking with other suppliers such as Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., and ZTE Corp., and another broadband provider Datang Telecom Group.
The company seeks to tap of underserved markets, as well as consumers who want to have another option for their Internet service.
“Globe and Smart only serve 15% of the market. 85% remains unserved… We’ll try to get the 85%,” Mr. Zamora said, referring to Globe Telecom, Inc. and PLDT Inc.’s wireless subsidiary Smart Communications.
“Also, people want another option, an available provider aside from Globe and PLDT… We intend to provide affordable Internet, we won’t be the most expensive.”
The company has applied with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for allocation of the 3400-3600 mHz. This is part of the strategy, Mr. Zamora said, given that most of the coveted 700 mHz are already allocated to PLDT and Globe.
The PT&T chairman said another advantage is the company’s pool of workers, who were involved in the failed joint venture plan between San Miguel Corp. and Australian company Telstra Corp. Ltd.
“We were able to get their key men, and these know how to roll out broadband,” Mr. Zamora said.
Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.
Link: http://bworldonline.com/ptt-confident-can-compete-without-china-partner/
December 19, 2017
PHILIPPINE Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (PT&T) is confident it can compete in the market as the third telco player, regardless of the outcome of its “preliminary” talks with China Telecom.
“We consider ourselves as the de facto third player,” PT&T Chairman Salvador Zamora told BusinessWorld last week.
He noted the talks with China Telecom are “very preliminary,” adding the Chinese company is also in talks with other local providers.
Malacañang earlier said the Chinese government picked China Telecom to enter the Philippine market. As a foreign telecommunications company, it has to find a local partner with an existing franchise.
While hopeful of a deal with China Telecom, Mr. Zamora said they will still continue its national broadband network rollout “with or without” the Chinese company.
PT&T will tap Chengdu Outwitcom, a wireless communication and networking technology provider, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese company ZhongXing TianTong Technology Co., for the network and Ruijie Networks Co. Ltd., as supplier.
For the partnership, PT&T plans to spend $200 million, while the Chinese companies will invest $200 million.
Mr. Zamora said Chengdu Outwitcom was able to roll out Wi-Fi service in the outdoor areas of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) complex during the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and meetings last month.
“It was their contribution for ASEAN 50. Their signal was so strong that even the delegates who were inside the ASEAN 50 were using their Wi-Fi. Most delegates ended up using their facilities,” he said, adding the company was able to roll out the service in just one week.
Part of the deal with the Chinese companies is to provide Wi-Fi stations for emergency services, particularly during natural disasters.
“We will apply for emergency service… China wants to donate Wi-Fi stations,” Mr. Zamora said.
PT&T currently operates a new 10+ Gbps (Gigabits per second) broadband network in Metro Manila and in Regions 3 and 4. The company currently primarily serves enterprises.
Mr. Zamora said they are talking with other suppliers such as Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., and ZTE Corp., and another broadband provider Datang Telecom Group.
The company seeks to tap of underserved markets, as well as consumers who want to have another option for their Internet service.
“Globe and Smart only serve 15% of the market. 85% remains unserved… We’ll try to get the 85%,” Mr. Zamora said, referring to Globe Telecom, Inc. and PLDT Inc.’s wireless subsidiary Smart Communications.
“Also, people want another option, an available provider aside from Globe and PLDT… We intend to provide affordable Internet, we won’t be the most expensive.”
The company has applied with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for allocation of the 3400-3600 mHz. This is part of the strategy, Mr. Zamora said, given that most of the coveted 700 mHz are already allocated to PLDT and Globe.
The PT&T chairman said another advantage is the company’s pool of workers, who were involved in the failed joint venture plan between San Miguel Corp. and Australian company Telstra Corp. Ltd.
“We were able to get their key men, and these know how to roll out broadband,” Mr. Zamora said.
Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.
Link: http://bworldonline.com/ptt-confident-can-compete-without-china-partner/
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