PT&T, partner to bring portable satellite dishes to PH
PT&T Corp. is joining the growing satellite broadband market in the country with the creation of a joint venture with Australian technology company Netlinkz Ltd. for the deployment of “smaller, portable and mobile satellite dishes.”
PT&T said the partnership was envisioned to provide internet access in areas where connectivity is lacking. Targeted locations include areas underserved by traditional fiber internet providers that find it challenging to build infrastructure like cell towers in mountainous or remote regions.
“Together, we are poised to transform network security and connectivity across the Philippines, providing innovative technology solutions that will empower our clients to thrive in today’s fast-paced, digital-first environment,” PT&T CEO and president James Velasquez said in a statement on Thursday.
“This joint venture combines our global expertise with PT&T’s local insights, delivering top-tier services that cater to the evolving needs of businesses in the region,” Netlinkz CEO James Tsiolis added.
Apart from satellite services, the companies would be offering a suite of information technology solutions for enterprises to improve operational efficiency and for security of data.
PT&T has been gearing up to widen its footprint in the local market. The company announced last year it had increased capitalization by nearly P9 billion to fund an expansion that includes, among others, rolling out fiber optic infrastructure.
The company currently serves Metro Manila and the Southern Tagalog region, but it is also working on expanding to the north. It expects such expansion plan will yield a 40-percent population coverage.
It also welcomed diversified holding firm MRC Allied Inc. as a new investor last year. PT&T majority owner Menlo Capital Corp. signed an agreement with MRC for the acquisition of 500 million common shares for a total investment of P500 million.
The country has seen the entry of foreign satellite players into the country after granting tech mogul Elon Musk’s Starlink Internet Services Philippines a license to operate as an internet service provider in 2022. These include US-based companies Astranis and Intelsat and Luxembourg-based connectivity solutions firm SES.
