PLDT and Smart have also set up "Libreng Tawag" and "Libreng Charging" stations in hardest hit provinces in the Bicol region such as Camarines Sur and Norte, Albay, and Sorsogon.
DICT secretary Gregorio B. Honasan II said collocating with common towers will help telcos cut back on their expenses allocated in building up and maintaining their own towers.
A construction of a single cell tower may take from six to 22 weeks depending on its design and location. For residents without a job, six to 22 weeks of steady source of livelihood makes a big difference in their desire to put food on the table for their loved ones, Globe said.
Sen. Lito Lapid has filed a resolution seeking to conduct an inquiry to determine the feasibility of mandating telcos to provide free Internet access to online learning websites during times of disaster and emergency when physical classes cannot be conducted.
Analyst firm ABI Research said telcos will be not only be crucial in enabling nations to manage the transition out of Covid-19 related stagnation, but also in providing a resilient national infrastructure to stimulate GDP growth.
Saying that cash should get into the hands of the poor at once, Sen. Francis Pangilinan made a pitch to use telecommunication companies for mobile money transfers in distributing assistance amid the Covid-19 crisis.
The industry’s overall shift toward global software-centric networks and operations is taking a hit as a result of the current bleak global economic outlook and Covid-19, according to analyst firm ABI Research.
In a memorandum dated March 12, 2020, the DICT ordered the NTC to monitor the compliance of all operating Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in providing ample bandwidth allocation, and availability of service and signal, based on their respective service level agreements.
DICT secretary Gregorio Honasan II said the proposed common tower policy must be sustainable in order to achieve the government’s target of building 50,000 telecommunication towers for the improvement of country’s connectivity.
Buhay party-list rep. Lito Atienza called ?counterproductive? the provision restricting Philippine telecommunications to entities at least 60 percent held by Filipinos.
