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CONNECTIVITY Unlimited Resources Enterprises Inc. (CURE) is blaming
the operator of Sun Cellular for its failure to roll out its 3G
(third generation) mobile phone service.
In a letter to the National Telecommunications
Commission (NTC), CURE said Digital Mobile Telecommunications Inc. (Digitel)
has been rejecting its cellular network interconnection, which
should pave the way for its 3G rollout by June.
Rodolfo Ma. A. Ponferrada, CURE chief legal
counsel said the telecom company started to negotiate and enter into
interconnection agreements with its rivals, including Digitel since
September 2006.
However, the Sun Cellular operator refused to
interconnect with CURE despite several demands and requests, he
said.
Led by former trade minister Roberto Ongpin,
CURE is one of four telcos granted a permit to operate 3G in a
hotly-contested auction. The first two, Globe Telecom Inc. and Smart
Communications Inc., are already offering the service on a
commercial basis. Sun Cellular, like CURE, has yet to offer their
service commercially.
“The refusal of Sun Cellular to
interconnect with CURE is a clear violation of one of the terms and
conditions of the Supplemental Order dated January 3, 2006 issued by
this Honorable Commission regarding 3G Radio frequency assignments
granted to Smart, Globe, Sun Celluar and CURE,” Ponferrada said.
The NTC circular said 3G license grantees
shall interconnect their networks with all 3G operators, cellular
mobile telephone networks, local exchange networks and other public
networks pursuant to the laws, rules and regulations.
The CURE lawyer said the refusal of Sun Cellular
to interconnect is a violation of Executive Order No. 59, Series of
1993, which mandates the interconnection between and among public
telecom entities to be compulsory.
Given the regulator’s requirement that CURE
commercially launch by June this year, Ponferrada said the NTC
should intervene to facilitate the interconnection between the two
telcos.
CURE earlier told NTC that it set a
P11.55-billion budget for its capital expenditure under its
five-year 3G rollout plan. Of this, P3.95 billion was allocated for
the first year.
The company expects an estimated P143
billion in revenues within five years of operation.
CURE plans to install an initial number of 280
base transceiver stations that will serve an initial market niche of
at least 200,000 subscribers in designated areas.
The company committed itself to cover 95 percent
of provincial cities and municipalities and 90 percent of chartered
cities.
-- Darwin G. Amojelar
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