National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) announced that the ‘third telco’ DITO Telecommunity has passed its first-year technical audit.
Independent Auditor, R.G. Manabat & Co., reports to the NTC its factual findings on the technical audit of DITO Telecotnmunity Corporation’s commitments for Year I.
As Dart of the issuance of its CPCN last July 2019. DITO Telecommunitv Corporation (DITO) was expected to deliver its commitments of 37.03 percent national population coverage with a minimum average broadband speed of 27 megabits per second (Mbps) in its first year of operation.
In its technical audit, R.G. Manabat & Co., reported that DITO’s first-year national population coverage reached 37.48% or 37,845,315 based on the 2015 national census population of 100,983,124. The reach covered a total of 8,860 barangays.
The procedure used in determining national population coverage was by simulation using the propagation model ATOLL software. The areas covered by the -105dBm were determined by the software and the population of the covered areas was determined. The report indicated that the minimum average broadband speeds were 85.9 Mbps (4G) and 507.5Mbps (5G). Near the base station registered 1 02.4Mbps (4G) and 769.1 Mbps (5G); middle point registered 91.2Mbps (4G) and 437.1Mbps (5G), and far from the base station registered 64.4Mbps (4G) and 316.5Mbps (5G).
Stratified random sampling was used to choose 12% of the 1,602 cell sites for field testing. For each location (near the base station, middle point and far from the base station), three (3) tests were conducted. The test software used is TEMS investigation software V22.00. It should be noted that there are still no subscribers in the network at this time.
DITO is scheduled to launch commercially on March 2021.
DITO’S entry in the market is a welcome development in the telco industry. A healthier competition within the industry fulfills President Duterte’s promise to the Filipino people of better telco service thru cheaper prices and improved internet speed.
