Group urges sharing of underground fiber
MANILA, Philippines — A consumer advocacy group has backed moves to establish national rules for shared underground fiber conduits, saying the policy should ultimately be measured by whether it delivers more reliable connectivity and fewer disruptions for Filipino consumers. “A severed fiber line can stop a student’s class, prevent a worker from earning a day’s pay, and disrupt payments, orders…
A consumer advocacy group in the Philippines has advocated for shared underground fiber conduit rules aimed at improving connectivity and reducing disruptions for consumers. CitizenWatch Philippines co-convenor Tim Abejo explained that a damaged fiber line can halt classes, impede workers' earnings, and disrupt business transactions.
The proposed framework, submitted via the Private Sector Advisory Council's Digital Infrastructure sector, seeks to establish a national approach to planning, constructing, and governing underground conduit systems. Key aspects include setting technical standards, assigning maintenance responsibilities, enhancing coordination between national agencies and local governments, and establishing rules for shared use of underground infrastructure.
Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators President Froilan Castelo believes a unified policy would provide telecommunications operators with a consistent framework for network planning and deployment while enhancing infrastructure resilience. Abejo emphasized that the initiative offers an opportunity to make consumer welfare a central aspect of infrastructure policy by clearly defining responsibilities, ensuring timely communication during outages, and maintaining high standards of safety and road restoration.
This proposal aligns with the existing Dig Once Policy under Republic Act 12234, which aims to minimize repeated excavation, shorten deployment times, and improve coordination during civil works.
Written by urgent.news from Philippine Star Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
