Telecoms & IT
From The Report: The Philippines 2017
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Surging activity and investment have benefitted the Philippines’ telecommunications industry in the decades following its deregulation, with mobile penetration increasing rapidly among a large population of digitally literate consumers. Although the market remains dominated by two operators, rising competition between them saw capital expenditure soar in 2016, driving improvements to service quality and consumer tariffs. Recent government moves to re-allocate new spectrum have further supported expansion of 3G, 4G and LTE services. The creation of a stand-alone department to oversee ICT development bodes well for expansion of a planned national broadband network, with the private sector set to play an important role in future service expansion.

This chapter contains an interview with Rodolfo A Salalima, Secretary, Department of Information and Communications Technology.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Mobile nation: Increasing investment has led to improvements in service and quality, while competition is set to rise
OBG
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Surging activity and investment have benefitted the Philippines’ telecommunications industry in the decades following its deregulation, with mobile penetration increasing rapidly among a large population of digitally literate consumers. Although the market remains dominated by two operators, rising competition between them saw capital expenditure soar in 2016, driving improvements to service quality and consumer tariffs. Recent government moves to re-allocate new spectrum have further supported…

Interview

Smart growth: Rodolfo A Salalima, Secretary, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), on expanding the role of information services in the economy
OBG
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Interview:Rodolfo A Salalima How can the Philippines work to accelerate digital inclusion, and what lCT-enabled technology would best serve this purpose? RODOLFO A SALALIMA: With the increasing reliance on the internet for delivery of government services and day-to-day transactions and business operations, ICT for the Philippine population has strong market potential. There are also challenges related to setting up an ecosystem around an interconnected and interoperable electronic communications…

Analysis

Clear responsibilities: A dedicated department will promote the national ICT agenda
OBG
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The ICT sector is set to benefit from the establishment of a new, dedicated department to guide its development, after the previous administration moved to split the functions of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DTC) in 2016. Creation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) had been in the works since 2012. Cict Dissolved The Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), set up during the tenure of former President Gloria…

Overview

Getting connected: Expansion of IT infrastructure is a key priority
OBG
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Supported by rapid expansion of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry and new investment in mobile broadband and fibre-optic networks, the Philippines’ IT sector has undergone significant growth in recent years. At the same time, internet speed and quality remains low, and costs high, challenges exacerbated by the country’s geography. The creation of a standalone department to oversee ICT development bodes well for expansion of a planned national broadband network, with the…