Telecommunication companies have thrown their support the Anti-Red Tape Authority’s (ARTA) initiatives to address the bottlenecks in the processes of infrastructure buildout and help minimize or prevent accidental fiber cable cuts to further improve connectivity in the country.
ARTA held its second telco workshop , co-hosted by PLDT Inc. and Smart Communication Inc., to address the bottlenecks in the permitting, licensing and authorizing processes involved in the energization of telecommunications towers and to improve connectivity in far-flung areas.
In the first workshop co-hosted by Globe Telecom Inc. last May 19, several concerns were highlighted, such as the non-standardized processes, delays and confusion, inconsistent fees and requirements, as well as the lack of coordination and communication in energizing telco towers.
The second workshop is seen to address those issues and to forge a collaboration stream for national government agencies, mobile network operators and independent tower companies to provide faster internet connection for the whole country.
ARTA has facilitates the issuance of joint memorandum circulars that significantly cut the processing time and steps for the construction of poles and passive telecommunications tower infrastructure.
“We fully support this ARTA-driven workshop on process mapping of telco facilities’ operations and builds. Solutions to be developed from this initiative will minimize, if not totally prevent, accidental cable cuts caused by DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) projects,” said Alfredo Panlilio, PLDT and Smart president and chief executive officer, said during his speech at the ARTA workshop.
“Through collaborations such as this workshop, we hope to address the urgent need to operationalize policies to ultimately ensure the highest possible quality of service for all Filipinos, and consequently support the government’s digitalization efforts,” Panlilio added.
