Lower Regulatory Fees Called for by PLDT-Smart to Allow for Network Expansion

PLDT-Smart is pushing for lower regulatory fees to encourage the expansion of telecommunications services, especially in underserved areas across the country.

On Tuesday, the telco giant issued a statement urging the government to implement “affordable and reasonable regulatory fees” to allow them to build more network infrastructure.

The move comes after a hearing regarding the Open Access in Data Transmission Act was recently held by the Senate Economic Planning Office.

“If the goal of this bill is to ensure universal internet or data coverage, it must avoid the trap of not setting out the objective in the law and ensure that data facilities and the much-needed fiber find their way to the unserved and underserved areas,” explained Smart vice president and head of regulatory affairs Roy Ibay.

Ibay further affirmed that they could significantly expand their coverage if additional costs from local governments like tower fees, inspection fees, and audit fees were to be removed.

“Last year alone, Smart spent ₱2.4 billion on fees, which could have been spent on actual physical facilities to improve telecom services,” Ibay added.

Source: Inquirer