Now Corp. seeks local distributors of network services

Listed technology firm NOW Corp. is seeking more partners to aid in the roll out of its telecommunications business.

The company said in a statement it was keen to partner with entrepreneurs and local government units in Northern and Southern Luzon under a Virtual Network Operator arrangement.

This will allow distributors to ride on NOW’s telco infrastructure—hastening the roll out of its fixed wireless service across the target areas.

“NOW’s business partnership model gives exclusive distributorship rights to the company’s broadband service to a local partner over a particular area, or preferably in one of the 35 priority cities in North and South Luzon which NOW has identified,” the company said.

NOW president and CEO Mel Velarde said other companies had attempted to launch telco services using this format but were unsuccessful.

In the case of NOW, it will use a “transparent cost structure, adopt a shared vision as well as technological and execution risks, and a clear shared wealth through revenue sharing.”

In late 2015, NOW Corp. and its telecommunications arm NOW Telecom launched Fiber in the Air.

NOW said a major requirement in selecting business partners was that the latter must be a resident of the chosen territory, must have a business in the area and must have strong local influence.