MikeLigalig.com

By Lenie Lectura, BusinessMirror
Posted at 04/10/2012 7:32 AM | Updated as of 04/10/2012 7:32 AM

 
MANILA, Philippines - Bell Telecommunications Philippines Inc. (BellTel), one of the phone units of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC), is now a step closer to starting its cellular mobile operation.

This after regulators extended its permit to operate, which is vital to BellTel’s business plan whose goal is not only to give consumers a choice but to also provide competition to existing players.

The NTC, in its decision, took note of the remaining two cellular mobile telephone system (CMTS) players in the country following its October 2011 decision that approved Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.’s (PLDT) acquisition of third-ranked cellular operator Digital Telecommunications Philippines from the Gokongwei group. The PLDT Group now corners about 70 percent of the mobile phone market with the remaining 30 percent held by Globe Telecom Inc.

“As a consequence thereof, the number of mobile operators was reduced to only two players. This has affected competition in the mobile market. Thus, there is a need for another mobile phone operator to enter the market immediately to improve competition,” said the NTC.

The NTC extended BellTel’s provisional authority (PA) to construct, operate, maintain a digital Personal Communications Network for three years or until March 5, 2015.

The permit, however, may be revoked if its five-year rollout plan is not immediately undertaken, said the NTC.

BellTel is expected to commercially launch its mobile phone service on June 13, 2013.  It was granted a five-year rollout period commencing January 2012 with commercial operations  expected to commence 18 months thereafter, or in June next year.

BellTel first received its PA in October 2007, which was valid until April 2009. The NTC later renewed the permit but the phone firm was not able to offer the service during the two-year period because it did not have the frequencies to offer such service. It was only in May 2011 when the NTC assigned BellTel CMTS frequencies in the 1710-1720 megahertz (MHz)-1805-1815 bandwidth for its mobile phone service.

The company is in the process of soliciting proposals from equipment and software vendors for the various components of its cellular network. “BellTel has requested pertinent information from equipment and software vendors on the components of its CMTS network. It is projected to then issue requests for proposals on the said network components, bid out and subsequently award the requisite contracts therefore, and thereby get its CMTS network rollout underway,” said BellTel.

The company said it is “almost finished with its organizational buildup and has nearly completed filling in all of its component departments.”

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