Aboitiz unit, Smart ink common tower deal
Credit to Author: LISBET K. ESMAEL| Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2019 16:37:57 +0000
ABOITIZ InfraCapital Inc., in partnership with Frontier Tower Associates Philippines Inc. (FTAP), further strengthened its presence in the tower-sharing market after signing on August 19 a common-tower agreement with Smart Communications Inc., almost two months after inking a similar deal with Globe Telecom Inc.
In a statement on Monday, the infrastructure business arm of the Aboitiz Group said that under the memorandum of understanding they signed, the parties “agreed to discuss and negotiate the lease of build-to-suit sites, towers and passive telecommunications infrastructure and facilities for Smart’s installation of telecommunications facilities and equipment….”
While the deployment of the telco’s facilities would be nationwide, the focus would be on the Visayas and Mindanao, it added.
Aboitiz InfraCapital also said it would leverage its distribution utilities Visayan Electric Co. Inc., Davao Light and Power Co. Inc., and Cotabato Light, while FTAP would bank on its experience of rolling out and operating thousands of towers the in region.
“This latest collaboration with Smart is in step with Aboitiz InfraCapital’s goal to ramp up the country’s connectivity through infrastructure,” Cosette V. Canilao, Aboitiz InfraCapital chief operating officer, was quoted as saying in the statement.
“Through these new common towers, Aboitiz InfraCapital, in partnership with FTAP, aims to build the right infrastructure that will advance business and communities,” she added.
For his part, Smart President and Chief Executive Officer Alfredo Panlilio said in the statement the deal would help his company “accelerate the delivery of wireless services to more areas nationwide.”
The agreement Smart signed with the Aboitiz-led firm and FTAP comes after signing business deals with tower providers edotco Group Sdn. Bhd. and ISOC Infrastructure Inc. earlier this month.
These deals come after the Department of Information and Communications Technology opened the telecommunications industry to tower providers to increase the number of cell sites to 50,000 from fewer than 20,000 at present.
The government has vowed it would provide assistance to tower firms that have signed contracts with existing telco carriers in securing the necessary permits.