Manila: Telecommunications companies PLDT and its mobile subsidiary Smart, and DITO Telecommunity signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for sharing their networks and other resources toward expanding mutual coverage in the country.
According to Philippines News Agency, PLDT chair and chief executive officer Manuel V. Pangilinan said the agreement establishes a framework for collaboration in three key areas of telecommunications infrastructure.
In particular, the companies grant one another reciprocal rights to use eligible towers, in-building solutions or telecommunications infrastructure within indoor areas, and submarine cable capacity through Indefeasible Right of Use arrangements. 'Connecting the country is a responsibility that we all share as Philippine telcos. This agreement reflects that, even as we compete in the marketplace, we can collaborate where it matters the most: Accelerating digital inclusion, helping connect every Filipino, and creating greater opportunities for our people and our nation,' Pangilinan said.
He said the partnership will expand network coverage, enhance service reliability, and deliver a better connectivity experience for both their customers across the country. 'May this partnership usher in and blossom into many more things so that we can have meaningful results for our companies, and more importantly, for the betterment of services for all our respective customers,' he said.
Pangilinan added that the partnership will maximize the use of existing macro sites and in-building facilities and reduce duplication of network investments. 'This enables the companies to deploy capital more efficiently, accelerate network expansion, and deliver broader coverage and more reliable connectivity for Filipino consumers while supporting a more resilient and future-ready telecommunications ecosystem,' he said.
DITO president and chief executive officer Eric Alberto described the MOU as a 'first step that could usher in deeper cooperation.' 'This allows both companies to deliver much better services for all our respective customers,' Alberto said in the same news release.
