Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. said Tuesday it is interested to enter into a deal with San Miguel Corp. to acquire a piece of the latter’s 700-megahertz spectrum, which is seen to deliver faster wireless Internet services.
Spectrum is the “real estate” on which telecommunication operators develop their respective network to deliver services to customers.
PLDT chairman and chief executive Manuel Pangilinan said “we are always open” to such an agreement with San Miguel.
When asked if there were ongoing talks with San Miguel over the 700-Mhz frequency, Pangilinan said “nothing that I’am aware of.”
Globe president Ernest Cu earlier said his company was open to an agreement with San Miguel to get a share of the 700 Mhz.
San Miguel Group owns 100 Mhz of spectrum in the 700-MHz band, of which 80 Mhz was assigned to wi-Tribe Telecommunications Inc., 10 Mhz to High Frequency Telecommunications Inc. and 10 Mhz to New Century Telecommunications Inc.
The 700 MHz band, located above the TV broadcast channels, penetrates buildings and walls and covers larger areas. Mobile service providers in other countries have been using the spectrum to offer mobile broadband services.
Aside from 700 Mhz, San Miguel Group owns spectrum under the 900 Mhz, 800 Mhz and 1,800 Mhz.
PLDT Group holds frequency in the 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz and 2,100 MHz bands while Globe owns frequency in the 900 Mhz, 1,800 Mhz and 2,100 Mhz bands.
PLDT and Globe earlier asked the National Telecommunications Commission to reassign the 700 MHz to other existing telecom players.
Utilizing the 700 MHz would allow the deployment of a high-capacity LTE-based wireless and fixed-broadband network to deliver higher data rate and LTE broadband service.
San Miguel president Ramon Ang earlier turned down the request of Globe and PLDT to share some of its 700 Mhz, as it plans to offer its own mobile broadband this year.
San Miguel and Australia’s Telstra Corp’s ended talks on a $1-billion joint venture to offer wireless services in the country.