NTC remedy to CURE’s torpor? Use licence or lose it

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in the Philippines says it is studying the operations of the firms awarded with 3G frequency licences four years ago, and has warned Connectivity Unlimited Resources Enterprise (CURE) – a unit of Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) – it may revoke its concession if it fails to launch commercial operations this year. CURE, acquired by PLDT’s Smart Communications mobile arm two years ago, is accused of only ‘lending’ its sister company the use of its radio spectrum, rather than buy its own equipment and launch its own services. Douglas Michael N Malillin, the deputy commissioner of the NTC, says that ‘Under our rules there are five years allotted for the rollout of operations for 3G frequency holders. The first awarding was in [January 2006] so [the licensees] have until this year,’ to fulfil that task.