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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider BCDA eyes common telco towers to enhance connectivity

BCDA eyes common telco towers to enhance connectivity

Published Sep 5, 2025 02:36 pm
New Clark City in Tarlac (BCDA Website)
New Clark City in Tarlac (BCDA Website)
The state-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is pushing for the development of shared telecommunications infrastructure, particularly common towers, to further enhance digital connectivity within its properties.
In a statement, the BCDA said it will mount a study on the establishment of common towers and related projects as part of its commitment to strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure.
The BCDA, which plays a key role in the government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP), said it has tapped Indian telecommunications technology firm iSON Tower Ltd. Inc. as a partner for the project.
BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joshua Bingcang said he recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with iSON Tower for collaboration on the project’s preparation studies.
Under the MOU, iSON Tower is expected to bring in its technical expertise by overseeing technical assessments, feasibility studies, and business case preparation in order to craft recommendations for the common towers. This would cover their development, implementation, and construction.
These towers are expected to rise in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City, New Clark City in Tarlac, Morong Discovery Park in Bataan, Camp John Hay in Baguio City, and Poro Point Freeport Zone in La Union.
“This will pave the way to faster, more reliable digital services within the BCDA’s properties, helping locators thrive and improving residents’ everyday convenience and quality of life,” said Bingcang.
He said this partnership will be a key driver in the BCDA’s vision to attract high-impact investments in technology-driven industries, which would empower local communities and foster sustainable economic growth.
As part of its effort to accelerate the NBP, the BCDA announced last month that it is set to activate the two terabit-per-second (Tbps) bandwidth allocation from global technology giant Meta.
The BCDA and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) are currently finalizing technical arrangements and implementation timelines for the bandwidth.
Once online, it is expected to support the country’s broadband network, complementing other major subsea cable projects and local fiber deployments.
Established in 2017, the NBP aims to significantly improve internet speed and affordability in the Philippines through the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure such as fiber optic cables and wireless technologies.
Meanwhile, iSON Towers’ parent firm, iSON Group, disclosed last month that it plans to invest up to $300 million over the next decade to boost the country’s digital infrastructure.
iSON Tower will build 300 to 400 new towers annually, with a target of up to 4,000, leveraging infrastructure sharing to promote cost-efficient network expansion for major mobile operators.
To date, iSON Tower has already built 400 towers nationwide.
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