Business and tech enthusiasts were shocked and surprised by an unprecedented and unexpected turn of events regarding San Miguel Corporation's telecommunications industry. While it is considered a intriguing development for the Philippine telecoms industry, many Filipino consumers believed that this has triggered the death of their hopes and dreams for a third telecommunications company in our local shores.
On the morning of May 30, 2016, the Philippine food and beverage conglomerate officially announced on traditional and social media platforms has sold all of its telecommunications assets to rival telcos PLDT and Globe Telecom. These include the coveted 700 MHz spectrum that can penetrate walls, have a wider coverage area and handle more users per tower. This follows SMC's setbacks of launching its own mobile broadband network including failed negotiations with Australian telco Telstra.
For me, I welcome this development because it will further optimize its services and improve the quality of mobile internet in the Philippines. Furthermore, I believed in our local telcos that the Philippines will have a more affordable and more accessible internet service. On the other hand, I don't think that it will be faster regardless of the companies' use of the 700 MHz spectrum. In my opinion, this will not improve the digital lifestyle experience of many Filipino consumers if the country continues to have one of the slowest internet service in the world today. Regardless of the consequences, I am not keen in being business-minded, but I believe that the new administration is getting a close eye on these developments and it will be perfect sense if our local telecommunications industry is open for any foreign company who wants to enter it.
Anyway, let's just hope what PLDT and Globe Telecom are in store in the coming months and deliver what Ramon Ang's company failed to do in the past.
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