Wi-tribe Telecoms to provide 4G service in Subic

Wi-tribe Telecoms, Inc., formerly Liberty Broadcasting Network Inc., is spending $17.9 million to provide 4G (Fourth Generation) services to the Subic Special Economic Zone (SSEZ).

In a filing with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), wi-tribe Telecoms is targeting full operations by next year. It will also spend $1.75 million in yearly network operational expenses.

It is still awaiting for an issuance of a certificate of public convenience and necessity, which is needed before a firm could put up telecommunications services in an area.

The project, which is targeted to run for 10 years or until 2022, includes the installation of 75 base stations within the economic zone. These will utilize the so-called WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) and LTE (Long Term Evolution) technologies, which both runs at a 4G speed.

The firm will be able to provide a slew of services, including fixed and mobile, local, national, international voice and data to all commercial centers, resorts, key barangays and town centers.

The firm will first use frequencies of 2.5Ghz and 700Mhz. If needed, it will have to ask for more frequencies from the NTC.

"The Wimax network capacity support per design is 1.125 Gbps for a 5Mhz channel bandwidth and 2.25 Gpbs for a 10Mhz channel bandwidth and can support a total of 58,000 subscribers. The LTE network capacity support is 5.6Gbps for a 20Mhz channel bandwidth and can support 100,000 subscribers," the firm said.

Cojuangco-led San Miguel Corp. is 41% owner of wi-tribe Telecoms via its unit Vega Telecom. It earlier said it wants to increase shares to 49%.