Treat digital connectivity as standard utilities like water and power
February 28, 2024Information and communication technology in real estate developments should be a given, and the government should facilitate this by treating digital connectivity services like water and power utilities that are provided lease free space for their equipment.
Today’s technological developments have given way to specific lifestyle requirements, the most obvious of which is digital connectivity. Being online is a necessity for work or school. People need to be connected at all times, so they can simultaneously attend to their professional, educational, social, and personal requirements.
Thus, residential or commercial developments that provide fast and reliable connectivity enjoy a premium over those that do not. These property companies are in a better position to attract buyers and tenants because of the built-in advantage of digital connectivity.
For such an advantage, it appears illogical and counterproductive to require telcos to cough up exorbitant lease payments in these developments’ premises for the space that their equipment occupies. We thus support calls to institutionally abolish lease requirements imposed on telcos for something that benefits developers and their customers anyway.
It will be the Filipino consuming public that will benefit from these arrangements, where the provision of accessible, reliable internet service is the ultimate goal. We enjoin our lawmakers to use their legislative powers to institutionalize a rational policy that would pave the way for a total digital transformation at the individual and community levels.