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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider Broadband newcomer leverages infra sharing law to challenge tech incumbents

Broadband newcomer leverages infra sharing law to challenge tech incumbents

Published Jul 6, 2026 12:00 am  |  Updated Jul 4, 2026 03:37 pm
Bitstar Telecom Inc., the country’s newest internet service provider (ISP), plans to make a major mark in Metro Manila with its high-speed connectivity as it eyes eventual expansion to other regions.
In a statement, Bitstar said it is ready to meet the demand for enterprise connectivity within the National Capital Region (NCR) following its public launch on April 15.
The company’s main goal is to deliver fast, reliable, and affordable internet for businesses, supported by a simplified, end-to-end digital concierge.
Bitstar President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Miguel Bitanga said the company’s commitment to affordability would transform internet services from a luxury into a “relative commodity.”
He added that Bitstar’s digital concierge, called Pocketbell, will streamline the customer experience—spanning inquiry and onboarding to service delivery and support.
“Digital customer experience ought to be standard for service companies, which presents an opportunity for Bitstar to cater to the evolving needs of modern internet users,” Bitanga said. “We use apps for everything else in our lives; our internet should not be any different.”
While it currently focuses exclusively on the NCR, Bitstar plans to explore expansion to other parts of the Philippines in the future.
The company’s entry into the domestic telecommunications sector was made possible by the Konektadong Pinoy Act, which promotes data transmission infrastructure sharing and co-location to encourage new market players.
Under this law, Bitstar can leverage the existing network assets of other telcos to offer its services without spending significant capital to build out its own fiber infrastructure.
According to its website, one of Bitstar’s key partners is telco provider Philippine Telegraph and Telephone (PT&T) Corp., through which it sells its enterprise broadband services in Metro Manila.
“These strategic partnerships, combined with Bitstar’s digital-first customer approach and affordable internet plans, are intended to help build the brand within an increasingly savvy and modern client base, both in Metro Manila and beyond,” the company said.
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