MANILA, Philippines — Rival telco leaders have united to ramp up efforts against illegal networks and infrastructure theft in light of news that new players are coming in to challenge their providers.
On Facebook, Converge ICT Solutions Inc. CEO and co-founder Dennis Anthony Uy shared he has sat down with his fellow industry leaders recently to talk about the protection of telco assets.
The meeting revolved around how the public and private sectors can further work in taking down illegal networks, which are disadvantageous to industry players that really invest in infrastructure expansion.
Uy said cable theft and the sale of unauthorized internet connections should be treated as acts of economic sabotage. He also asked regulators to find the perpetrators behind network disruptions.
He underscored the urgency of expanding the fight against infrastructure sabotage. Converge, for one, serves more than 3.09 million subscribers nationwide, and any network interruption disrupts the lives of those who depend on connectivity for schooling and work.
“Criminals who undermine our critical infrastructure must be pursued, prosecuted and punished to the full extent of the law,” Uy said.
Further, he appealed to the government to work closely with the connectivity industry in rolling out Republic Act (RA) 12234 or the Konektadong Pinoy Act.
The law seeks to foster competition by removing some of the hardest requirements to set up telco services in the Philippines like the legislative franchise.