NTC: Globe and Digitel plan to invest $700m in 3G

Globe Telecom Inc. and Digital Philippines Inc. (Digitel) will invest a combined $700 million in their 3G (third generation mobile technology) network, an official of the National Telecommunications Commission said yesterday.

Edgardo Cabarrios, NTC director for common carrier and authorization department, told reporters Globe plans to invest $400 million to $500 million while Digitel is spending about $240 million.

Globe and Digitel earlier received licenses to operate a 3G network. Globe said it would be ready to start commercial operations as early as the first quarter this year.

Rodolfo Salalima, Globe senior vice president and corporate and regulatory affairs head, said Globe’s investment would depend on the number of cellsites to be constructed.

“Now that we have been given our desired 3G frequency, we can rapidly deploy our 3G service at the shortest possible time. With 3G operations, we are now ready to provide the public state-of-the-art technology,” Salalima said.

William Pamintuan, Digitel senior vice president for legal services, earlier said the company started to laying the groundwork for its 3G rollout. Digitel is the parent company of Sun Cellular brand.

“We are confident that Digitel will be a major player in offering the 3G technology to mobile phone users,” Pamintuan said. Alena Mae S. Flores - Manila Standard Today