[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’New telco player seen to halt ‘mediocre’ services ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
INSERT DATE HERE!
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
MANILA – At least three senators were supportive of President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to tap a third telecommunications operator in the Philippines.
Malacañang has announced that Duterte directed the Office of the Executive Secretary to fast-track the entry of a new telco player.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said on Monday the President offered China “the privilege to operate the third telecommunications carrier in the country.”
“A third telecommunications firm is exactly what our country needs to end a telco duopoly mired in mediocrity, a situation that has allowed them to hold the Filipino consumer hostage to poor communications and data services,” said Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.
Filipinos need a faster and more stable internet connection at the best price, he stressed.
According to Pimentel, a new competitor will prompt the two major local telcos to improve their services.
“The absence of alternatives has numbed us to the reality of poor network coverage, dropped calls, disappearing loads, lost text messages, and slow data or internet speeds,” he said. “This should be unacceptable. Our countrymen deserve better.”
A “welcome development” was how Grace Poe described the possible entry of qualified foreign players into the telco market.
“Healthy competition could lead to better services for the consumers,” said Poe.
But Paolo Benigno Aquino IV said the third player should not be limited to China.
“Kung ang maliit na bansa gaya ng Singapore ay mayroong anim na players sa telco sector, dapat maging ganito rin kasigla ang kumpetisyon sa ating bansa,” Aquino said./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
