Why is internet quality still poor? Blame LGUs, hostile homeowners, too

The Philippine telecommunications sector is seeking the government’s support in building critical infrastructure amid surging demand for internet services especially in this time of crisis.

Globe Telecom said it needed to build more cell towers for mobile services and lay down fiber cables to crank up fixed-internet service for homes and businesses. These can move faster with the easing of requirements by local government units (LGUs).

“The pandemic has shown that Filipinos need wireless broadband while they are on the move and fixed broadband while working or learning from home,” Globe said in a statement.

But Globe said old challenges continue “foremost of which are the permitting requirements imposed by LGUs as well as the opposition by hostile homeowners associations.”

Globe is set to aggressively expand its mobile network across the country over the next three months.

“The government and the telcos need to collaborate now, more than ever, to lay down and build the necessary infrastructures to deliver the needed connectivity as more Filipinos adapt to the new normal, which requires more e-services and e-governance,” said Gil Genio, Globe chief technology and information officer and chief strategy officer.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) last month issued the guidelines for cell tower sharing. While this was meant to spur the construction of new infrastructure, it does not address the permitting bottlenecks faced by the industry.

Last week, the DICT took further steps by signing a joint memorandum circular with various government agencies.

With the circular, the DICT said independent tower builders “will be unburdened with the multiple permitting requirements” that slow down the construction of new telco infrastructure.

“The increase in towers will mean an increase in speed, strength and quality of connection for Filipinos. It will also stimulate the generation of jobs and economic activity, especially in unserved and underserved areas,” the DICT said.

The guidelines aim to shor­ten the entire timeline—to a target period of 16 days, from the original period of over 200 days—for constructing so-called passive telecommunications tower infrastructure.

The DICT promised it would monitor permitting process. INQ