Mislatel rollout hit by lack of franchise

The Mislatel consortium’s rollout of commercial services could be delayed as both houses of Congress — currently on a break for the mid-term elections — still have to reconcile their versions of the third telco’s franchise.

“They could not start [operating] because basically we could not give them the frequencies and the CPCN (certificate of public convenience and necessity) … their permit to operate as a telco until we get the approval of [the] bicam (bicameral conference committee),” acting Information and Communications Technology Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. told reporters on Monday.