PH telecom consumers must be given options

MOST industry observers expected the news, but the announcement on Monday that the discussions between local conglomerate San Miguel Corp. and Australian telecom provider Telstra had formally ended was a disappointment to almost everyone.

Everyone, that is, but the management and shareholders of established telecom giants Globe and PLDT. Their stocks soared on the news that the threat of a third competitor in the Philippines’ promising but grossly underserved market would not be materializing in the near future after all.