DICT Plans to Name 3rd Major Telco Player Before PRRD’s SONA

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is eyeing to identify the third major player in the local telecommunications industry before President Rodrigo R. Duterte delivers his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July.

“We have a self-imposed deadline for the telco to be named or awarded before the President’s SONA,” DICT Officer-in-Charge Eliseo Rio Jr. said in an interview with reporters at the sidelines of the EU-Philippines Digital Disruption Forum held in Makati City Thursday.

The DICT is currently drafting the terms of reference (TOR) for the selection process for the entry of a new telco player in the country.

The department expects to release the draft TOR by the last week of April, which will be subject to consultations with various stakeholders before it comes up with the final version by the second week of May.

Interested bidders may submit their offers from June until the first week of July.

In selecting the new telco player, the DICT is looking at a firm’s level of service through the scope of areas of coverage, committed Internet speed through its network, telco services offered, and its committed financial investment in the next five years. (PNA)