DICT seeks collaboration for broadband rural areas
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is seeking collaboration with the private sector for installment of broadband connectivity in rural communities.
DICT assistant secretary Philip A. Varilla noted public-private partnerships for the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, fiber connectivity will not be viable. Thus, he said these areas should be serviced by satellite technology which requires less investment than fiber connectivity.
“We need to connect more provinces and municipalities. The partnership can be with private companies, or it can be a partnership with local government units,” DICT Assistant Secretary Philip A. Varilla said during the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP) Economic Forum 2022.
“Overall, the department is looking at P3 billion ($ 50,860,818) for 5,000 locations,” Varilla added.
Meanwhile, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), an attached agency of the DICT, recently approved the registration of Starlink Internet Services Philippines, Inc., a subsidiary of Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX).
Starlink Internet Services Philippines will offer high-speed low latency satellite internet service with download speeds between 100 megabits per second (Mbps) and 200 Mbps to Filipinos, according to the DICT.
Mr. Varilla also said that the department is now identifying the remote locations that will be covered by Starlink’s service.
