Third telecommunications player Dito Telecommunity should prepare backup plans because its promised roll out date and internet speed may be compromised with the junking of the United States- Hong Kong submarine cable project, a technology professor from the University of the Philippines (UP) said.
Dito, a 60-40 partnership of Dennis Uy-led Udenna consortium and state-owned China Telecom, earlier vowed to provide internet access to at least one-third of the country’s population with a minimum speed of 27 megabits per second (Mbps).
Dito’s franchise was approved by the House of Representatives last week.
However, according to Prof. Glen Imbang of the UP Technological Management Center, Dito’s scheduled rollout may be affected by Google and Facebook Inc.’s withdrawal of the undersea cable project that would connect the United States to Hong Kong and other Asian countries.
The two companies dropped the undersea cable project last week amid escalating tensions between the US and China over a series of conflicts including America’s accusations that Chinese high-tech products could be used for spying.
To attain its promised connectivity speed to compete with the PLDT-Globe duopoloy, Imbang suggested for Dito to explore two viable but costly options.
He said Dito could “build its own undersea cable or go into rocket science or satellite for the data transmission.”
Imbang however warned that using satellite feeds for its internet connectivity is very costly. If Dito should opt to build its own submarine cable, he said that it would further delay the rollout date, because developing an international undersea cable link could take a minimum of five years.
Meanwhile, residents of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Officers Village Inc. in Taguig City has opposed Dito’s reported plan to construct around 20 5G cell towers in their community. The online petition of mostly retired and active military men cited cybersecurity as one of the issues.
“Our village is a community of former military officers and our place is also very near to the headquarters of the Army, Navy and Air Force and about 40 residents in our place are holding key government positions,” the group said.
By Divina Nova Joy Dela Cruz|The Manila Times
Source: Peso Economics
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