8th common tower provider joins pool

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with MGS Construction Inc., bringing the number of interested common tower providers in the country to eight.

MGS Construction is the latest entrant to the growing pool of potential common telco tower builders which have inked an MOU with the DICT.

The deal signed with MGS Construction is similar to the previously signed MOUs by DICT which indicates that the agency is considering the capability of the company as a common tower provider.

The firm must first secure an agreement with at least one telecommunications operaxtor in the country for the use of the common towers that it will build.

Should they secure such deals with operators, the DICT will then sign a memorandum of agreement with them wherein the government agency will commit to facilitate and extend full assistance to the companies in complying with legal, regulatory and administrative requirements for their common tower roll out plan.

MGS Construction is part of the Villar-led consortium that submitted the best offer for the New Clark City water supply project with the Bases and Conversion and Development Authority last year.

Aside from the company, the DICT has earlier signed MOUs with seven budding common tower providers, which include ISOC Infrastructures Inc., a company chaired by Megawide Construction Corp. co-founder Michael Cosiquien, ISON ECP Tower Singapore Pte. Ltd., Edotco Group Sdn Bhd and RT Telecom Sdn Bhd of Malaysia, IHS Towers, China Energy Equipment Co. Ltd., and Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc.

Information and Communications Technology Eliseo Rio said American Tower is also set to sign an MOU with the DICT on Feb. 19.

Rio has dubbed the common tower initiative as DICT’s biggest Build Build Build project, as it is expected to attract at least $4.4 billion in investment and create thousands of jobs.

The program is expected to address the Philippines’ need of at least 50,000 new tower locations to adequately service the country, as Globe and Smart have managed to build only 16,000 towers over the past 20 years.