MANILA – Streamtech Systems Technologies Inc. is interested in filling the third telco slot, a top official of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said.
“Yes, they expressed interest but would have to look for a foreign partner that has at least 10 years [experience] in a nationwide telco business,” DICT Acting secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. told GMA News Online.
DICT and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) require bidders for the major player to have at least a member of a consortium with 10 years of technical experience as a telecommunications company.
President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law granting the Villar-owned Streamtech a franchise to operate and maintain a telecommunications system in the country for 25 years.
Duterte signed the Streamtech franchise on October 18, but was released to reporters only on Tuesday, October 23.
GMA News Online has reached out to businessman and former senator Manny Villar, chairman of Villar Group of Companies, to comment on the matter but he has not responded as of this posting.
In a related development, a telecommunications company bought on Tuesday the bid documents for the third telco – the same day the news broke out that the Villar-led telco has been granted a 25-year franchise – but telco has requested not to be named.
“There was another one who purchased yesterday – undisclosed bidder,” NTC public relations officer Paolo Arceo told GMA News Online.
Prospective bidders for the third telco slot must buy the bid documents for P1 million at the NTC head office in Quezon City.
Asked if the undisclosed bidder is the Villar-led Streamtech, Rio said, “I really don’t know …”
The unnamed telco buyer has brought the number of companies in on the third telco fray to nine, including:
Based on the DICT’s timeline, the final memorandum circular – published on Sept. 21 – took effect on Oct. 6.
On Oct. 8, Monday, prospective bidders started buying the bid documents.
The documents are available until Nov. 7.
Interested investors who bought the documents have until Oct. 22 to seek any clarification, and the government has until Nov. 22 to answer the queries.
The DICT is targeting to name the winning bidder sometime in December 2018.
The government is using the highest committed level of service in selecting the third telco player based on three major criteria: national coverage, internet speed, and capital expenditure. (GMA News)
