Dito, Globe tap Aboitiz InfraCapital for small cell towers

MANILA, Philippines — Globe Telecom and Dito Telecommunity Corp. have teamed up with Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. for small cell deployments to help boost their respective network capacity and coverage.

The infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group said the two telcos have deployed small cells across its pole network in Cebu and Davao under separate lease agreements.

Aboitiz InfraCapital early this month announced its venture into the business of developing a small cell network to supplement its common tower business.

The company is offering its small cell network nationwide to support telecommunication companies and internet service providers with their wireless network capacity and coverage in line with the government’s call to help improve the country’s ICT infrastructure.

Globe chief finance officer Rizza Maniego-Eala said the partnership with Aboitiz InfraCapital would complement the company’s target expansion, ensuring sustained momentum of its aggressive network build.

Aboitiz InfraCapital expects significant increase in pole leases within the next two years as telcos prepare for 5G deployment, which would need antenna densification to provide users with large data quantities at higher speeds.

“While forging strong partnerships with telcos like Globe and Dito, we are also looking at growing our small cell sites beyond our current footprint as we anticipate the increased demand from telcos and other ISPs,” Aboitiz InfraCapital general manager for small cell sites business Rafael Aboitiz said.

“We are particularly keen on expanding in other key urban cities in Visayas and Mindanao, where network congestion is a primary issue that hampers service quality,” he said.

A small cell network is a series of small low-powered, short-ranged antennas that provide coverage and capacity, meant to work in conjunction with macro cell towers.

Aboitiz InfraCapital said telcos and ISPs can co-locate in small cell attachments in its pole network, similar to the common towers business model.