NOW Telecom targets third telco slot

MANILA, Philippines - NOW Telecom Inc., a unit of listed NOW Corp., wants to be the third player in the telco industry as it eyes mobile frequencies from the government.

NOW Corp. president and CEO Mel Velarde said the company has received its cellular mobile telephone service license as early as 2006 but has not been given mobile cellular frequencies by the government.

With the change in the administration, the company is hopeful it could get mobile cellular frequencies to be able to launch its service.

In July, NOW Telecom wrote to the government to request for the issuance of mobile cellular frequency.

“(We are) requesting for issuance of mobile cellular frequency, whatever is available,” Velarde said.

National Telecommunications Commission Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said earlier the government is considering holding an auction for a portfolio of spectrum including the 3G frequency of Connectivity Unlimited Resources Enterprise surrendered by PLDT Inc., as well as the frequencies returned by PLDT and Globe Telecom Inc. after their joint acquisition of the telco business of San Miguel Corp. to attract a third player in the industry.

Velarde said the company would be interested to participate in the bidding but would want the auction to be based on merits of proposal rather than cash payments for frequencies.

“If we are given (frequencies), in a year’s time, we can already start (rollout),” he said.

He also said the company would be open to having a foreign partner to launch its mobile cellular service.

Meanwhile, NOW Corp. is set to launch its broadband service targeted for enterprises and building owners next month.

The service involves NOW Corp. forging partnerships with building owners to provide guaranteed broadband connectivity with speeds of up to 700 Mbps. 

Under the partnership, the building owner would invest in “fiber in the air” radio antenna as well as other related equipment, and be given by NOW Corp. commission from revenues generated from the use by tenants of the broadband service.