The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) renewed the permit of NOW Telecom Inc. to operate mobile telecom services, a top executive said.
The telecom unit of publicly-listed NOW Corp. said it “received a much-needed boost from the NTC, which awarded it a radio license renewal to operate in the 800MHZ band, critical to implementing its mobile telecommunications system as authorized by the NTC. ”
The company said it received the NTC license dated Sept. 29, 2023 on Oct. 2, 2023.
NOW Telecom is one of the four companies licensed to operate a mobile telecommunications system (MTS) after Smart Communications Inc., Globe Telecom Inc. and DITO Telecommunity Corp.
“This license renewal with the most coveted 800 MHZ frequencies shall strengthen the communications security and connectivity to vital critical infrastructures in the country,” NOW Group chairman Mel Velarde said in a statement.
Bolstered by NOW Telecom’s initiatives with the Philippine military and the Cybersecurity Investigation and Coordination Center (CICC), the company eyes 16 critical infrastructures defined by these agencies and the US Department of Homeland Security that require immediate blanket coverage for a secure, reliable and robust communications systems using only trusted equipment.
The 16 sectors include Chemical, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Dams, Defense Industrial Base, Energy, Financial Services Food and Agriculture, Government Facilities, Healthcare and Public Health, Information Technology, Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste, Transportation Systems and Water and Wastewater Systems.
The US government announced its intent to team up with NOW Telecom for the nationwide design and deployment of 5G standalone and National Broadband Network (NBN) throughout the country.
The company secured a P118-million ($2.15 million) grant from the US Trade and Development Agency (USTA) for the pilot feasibility study for the development of 5G mobile and broadband in the Philippines.
NOW Telecom tapped Nokia’s Bell Labs Consulting to create a nationwide network design for 5G Standalone (SA) in the Philippines.
The grant agreement was signed by Velarde and Nokia Bell Labs managing partner Stefan Wilhelm during the 10th US-Philippines Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in Manila on Jan. 20, 2023. The grant-funded project aims to support the 5G pilot launch of NOW Telecom in the Philippines that will contribute to the overall improvement of broadband connectivity in the country and increase competition in the Filipino market.