India also interested in being 3rd telco player, says Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said an Indian firm is also eyeing to be the Philippines’ third telecom player that will challenge a longstanding duopoly to improve service.

“India is also interested to enter into the telecom industry. And we are considering,” Duterte told Indian businessmen in a speech at the presidential palace. He did not disclose the name of the Indian telecom company.

“I invited them during my talks with the businessmen of India during my official visit,” he added.

India has a hyper-competitive telecoms market, with Bharti Airtel being the country’s No. 1 mobile carrier.

Duterte, who went on a trip to New Delhi in January, secured at least $1.25 billion worth of investment pledges from Indian firms that are expected to create 10,000 jobs. The amount does not include pledges of companies that have yet to provide estimates of their investments.

In November last year, Duterte invited China to take a role in the country’s wireless communications industry during his bilateral talks with visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

READ: Duterte warns courts from interfering in entry of third telecom player

Beijing later picked China Telecom to invest in the Philippines, backed by a consortium of Filipino businesses.

Aside from China Telecom, Malacañang had said South Korea’s LG Uplus Corp., Japan’s KDDI, and a Taiwanese telecom firm that was yet to be revealed were also eyeing the Philippines’ third telecom slot to compete with incumbents PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc.

Companies seeking to enter the local telecommunications sector should have a net worth of at least P10 billion and secure a Congressional franchise, according to terms of reference released by the Department of Information and Communications Technology.

The DICT recently said the deadline for third telecom applications has been extended to May 18 from the original timetable of March—a move that runs counter to Duterte’s strict order to have the new player up and running by first quarter of 2018.

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