NTC grants Now Telecom extension to operate

NOW Telecom officials previously expressed the company’s preparedness to collaborate with Dito Telecommunity to provide better telecom services

Now Telecom Inc. has received the NTC’s approval to install, operate and maintain a state-of-the-art, efficient, effective and economical telecommunications network.

NOW Corp. on Monday said it was granted by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) an extension to operate, paving the way for its plan to grab the fourth telco slot in the Philippines.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Now Corp. said its subsidiary Now Telecom Inc. received last week the NTC’s approval, which will allow the company to install, operate and maintain state-of-the-art, efficient, effective and economical telecommunications network.

This includes mobile telco, data and voice telco network, trunked radio dispatch communications system, digital trunked radio system, and telecommunications operations.

The authority granted likewise includes the upgrade of its existing system to a Nationwide Wireless Communications Network which will provide Mobile Telephony communications and multimedia transmission capability to all cities and municipalities nationwide.

“We have been providing guaranteed broadband to enterprises including the government sector. We reiterate our belief that at present, there is an insufficiency in telecommunications facilities that can effectively address the needs for day-to-day real time operations and at the same time provide disaster mitigation during time of emergencies,” Now Telecom President Rodolfo Pantoja said.

He added that the network upgrade of the company will provide an affordable and reliable option for day-to-day wireless communications needs of enterprise and some sectors of the general consumer.

Early last year, the House of Representatives under the 17th Congress granted Now Telecom a 25-year franchise.

Now Telecom previously expressed preparedness to collaborate with Dito Telecommunity to provide better telco services. It said it was also eyeing to offer fifth-generation (5G) wireless broadband to homes and enterprises.

NOW Telecom officials previously expressed the company’s preparedness to collaborate with Dito Telecommunity to provide better telecom services. It has also previously announced its plans to offer 5G wireless broadband for the delivery of gigabit speeds to homes and enterprises.

Last month, the company announced that it entered into an agreement with Singapore-based HyalRoute Group, through its local subsidiary Philippine Fiber Optic Cable Network Ltd. (PFOCN) for the roll-out of fiber optic cable network that will be leased to local telecommunications players.

PFOCN earlier this year said it was investing $1 billion to $2 billion in the Philippines to provide a fiber optic backbone.

Now Telecom said that the signing would support the company’s plan to provide fifth generation (5G) technology nationwide.