NTC gives DITO six-month extension to comply with CPCN audit provisions

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in the Philippines has given new third telco DITO Telecommunity Corp a six-month extension to comply with its government-mandated technical audit, GMA News reports. The newcomer, backed by Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy, confirmed earlier this week that it is unlikely to meet the 8 July 2020 deadline, prompting the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to direct the NTC to issue a resolution to grant the extension. ‘In relation to the delay caused by the COVID-19 crisis, the NTC issued a resolution extending the July 2020 technical audit under the CPCN [Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity] provisions,’ DICT said, adding that ‘Under the current extension, DITO is given within six months to deliver the commitments for the technical audit requirements – that is to provide a speed of 27Mbps to cover 37% of the population’. The ruling refers to the CPCN which was awarded to DITO on 8 July 2019.