PLDT, Smart, DITO to share infrastructure to expand network coverage

• L-R: PLDT FVP for Network Roderick S. Santiago, PLDT Chief Operating Officer Menardo G. Jimenez, PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan, DITO President and CEO Eric R. Alberto, DITO Chief Commercial Officer Adel Tamano, and DITO Chief Technology Officer Rodolfo Santiago.

PLDT Inc., Smart Communications, Inc. and DITO Telecommunity have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to pursue infrastructure-sharing initiatives aimed at expanding network coverage and improving connectivity for customers across the Philippines.

The agreement sets a framework for collaboration in three key areas of telecommunications infrastructure through reciprocal resource sharing, with no monetary exchange between the parties.

Under the MOU, the telcos will grant one another reciprocal rights to use eligible tower sites through a macro site access arrangement. The agreement also covers in-building solution colocation, which will allow the parties to share telecommunications infrastructure inside commercial buildings and other indoor locations.

It also includes submarine cable capacity through Indefeasible Right of Use arrangements, allowing the companies to optimize the use of existing international connectivity assets.

PLDT, Smart and DITO said the partnership is expected to maximize existing infrastructure, expand network coverage, enhance service reliability, and deliver a better connectivity experience for customers nationwide.

“Connecting the country is a responsibility that we all share as Philippine telcos. This agreement reflects that, even as we compete in the marketplace, we can collaborate where it matters the most: accelerating digital inclusion, helping connect every Filipino, and creating greater opportunities for our people and our nation,” said Manuel V. Pangilinan, PLDT Chairman and CEO.

DITO President and CEO Eric Alberto said the partnership will allow both companies to improve services for their respective customers.

“This partnership that we are forging today is a modest one. This allows both companies to deliver much better services for all our respective customers. May this partnership usher and blossom into many more things so that we can have meaningful results for our companies, and more importantly, for the betterment of services for all our respective customers.” Mr. Eric Alberto, President and CEO of DITO Telecommunity added.

The companies said the agreement reflects their shared commitment to strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure through greater industry collaboration.

Instead of building separate infrastructure in the same areas, PLDT, Smart and DITO will maximize the use of existing macro sites and in-building facilities. This is expected to reduce unnecessary duplication of network investments, help deploy capital more efficiently, and accelerate network expansion.

The partnership also supports broader efforts to build a more resilient and future-ready telecommunications ecosystem as demand for reliable connectivity continues to grow across the country.