Mislatel’s problems

If you ever find yourself in my enclave in a cul-de-sac surrounded by age-old trees and verdant pocket gardens, you’ll most likely catch a heavy dose of nature’s bounties.

Gentle rays of the afternoon sun seep through the windows and at night from a makeshift balcony, you’ll see an unobstructed view of the moon, whether it’s crescent, full or iridescent.

You’ll get kissed by the easterly, too once in a while and catch some falling caimitos, if you’re lucky. 

But there is one thing this place is unable to catch  — a mobile phone signal. 

Welcome to my home. You have officially entered an “out of coverage area” even though I live right smack in Quezon City.

Enter the house and it gets worse. No, my place’s walls aren’t thick. In fact, I can hear my neighbors as far as five houses away when they belt out the Bohemian Rhapsody or Frank Sinatra’s My Way on karaoke nights. 

Upon learning about my cave-like existence, my service provider was kind enough to put a signal booster inside the house but I would need to put a secure router for it to work. I haven’t done this yet, but will do soon. My service provider explained that there are cell site limitations in my area.

It is complicated to say the least.

Will Mislatel be able to solve similar problems? I don’t know for sure but the problems are very real. 

Ramon Ang on the third telco

Tycoon Ramon “RSA” Ang, who once tried to be the country’s third telco player, said it’s easier than we can all imagine. 

The main problem for the third telco, RSA said, is putting its own in-building solutions. 

“In-building connection. That is the problem,” RSA said. He should know. He once tried to bring in Telstra to the Philippines as his partner to become the third telco. It did not happen.

An in-building cellular enhancement system is a telecommunications solution which is used to extend and distribute the cellular signal of a given mobile network operator within a building. 

In large buildings and skyscrapers, mobile phones are unable to properly reach the carrier’s outdoor network. 

In these environments, in-building solutions will connect to the carrier’s signal source, which in turn transmits and receives the mobile network operator’s licensed frequency. 

It is then transported within the building using optical fiber or a similar sophisticated cable. 

In all, this so-called in-building solution is strategically placed to provide the best overall coverage for users.

One problem, RSA said, is that many of the buildings in Metro Manila are already tied up with the two existing telco players. 

Putting the system of a new player such as Mislatel will be tedious, if not impossible. If it does happen, it will take time. 

Another industry source said no building owner would agree to do that kind of reworking just to accommodate another player because they already have the systems of the two existing telcos.

“It’s like reconstructing the building again,” said the source.

Broadband speed

Globe president Ernest Cu was also quoted last week as saying that the new telco player is unlikely to succeed in providing an average minimum broadband speed of 27 megabits per second (mbps) in its first year of operations and 55 mbps on its second, as indicated in its bid.

“There’s no telco that can do that in one year, in my opinion… To me, it’s 24 months. Let’s see,” Cu said.

According to wireless coverage mapping company OpenSignal, the average download speed for Globe is five mbps and for its rival PLDT Inc., 7.5 mbps.

Mislatel’s Dennis Uy said their consortium should be given a chance to prove that they can provide good service to customers. 

I agree with him, of course. Competition is always healthy. But for now, we can’t pop the champagne bottles just yet. 

It will take time. As the Romans learned, Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes time to make great things happen. 

The Philippines has yet to reach a point where it is at par with other countries in terms of mobile phone signal and internet speed. 

Take it from me. While I don’t live in a cave, it sure feels like it. 

Iris Gonzales’ e-mail address is [email protected]