en.Wedoany.com Reported - Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), its mobile subsidiary Smart Communications, and DITO Telecommunity have signed an infrastructure sharing agreement aimed at expanding network coverage and improving connectivity nationwide.
This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) raises a key question: Can competing telecom operators cooperate without sacrificing their respective competitive advantages? PLDT, Smart Communications, and DITO Telecommunity believe it is feasible. The three companies have agreed to share certain telecommunications infrastructure, a move designed to expand network coverage, enhance service reliability, and utilize existing assets more efficiently, thereby reducing investment in redundant infrastructure.
The agreement covers three areas: reciprocal access to eligible macro cell tower sites, co-location of indoor solutions within commercial properties, and sharing of submarine cable capacity through Indefeasible Right of Use (IRU) arrangements. This collaboration comes as operators seek to balance the growing demand for mobile data and 5G services with the high costs of expanding nationwide networks. While these companies compete in the consumer market, the agreement establishes a framework for reciprocal resource sharing without monetary exchange between the parties. By opening access to existing infrastructure, the operators aim to accelerate network deployment, improve connectivity for customers nationwide, while utilizing capital investments more efficiently.
PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan stated at the signing ceremony that the agreement reflects a shared industry responsibility. "Connecting the nation is a shared responsibility among Philippine telecom operators. This agreement demonstrates that even as we compete in the market, we can collaborate on what matters most: accelerating digital inclusion, helping connect every Filipino, and creating more opportunities for the country and its people." The agreement is expected to reduce unnecessary duplication of network infrastructure, allowing operators to share macro cell towers and indoor telecom facilities rather than building parallel assets.
The agreement supports DITO's network expansion. Since entering the Philippine mobile market a few years ago, DITO's network has expanded rapidly. DITO Telecommunity President and CEO Eric R. Alberto stated that the agreement could lay the foundation for broader cooperation between the companies. "The partnership we are establishing today is modest. It enables companies to provide better services to our respective customers. We hope this partnership will lead to and develop further outcomes that bring meaningful results for the companies and, more importantly, for improving services for all customers." The MOU also enables companies to optimize international connectivity by sharing submarine cable capacity, complementing domestic infrastructure sharing arrangements.
Smart's extensive mobile network already covers the vast majority of the Philippine population. By integrating existing assets rather than building anew, PLDT, Smart, and DITO expect to accelerate network expansion while improving coverage and service resilience for customers everywhere. Each operator maintains its commercial independence while sharing infrastructure for reciprocal operational benefits.
