GLOBE Telecom, Inc. has proposed a national utility resiliency plan that would establish coordination procedures between government agencies and telecommunications operators to facilitate the restoration of essential services following disasters.
The Ayala-led telecommunications company said restoring telecommunications services should receive priority alongside electricity and other essential utilities during disaster response.
“Restoring telecommunications should therefore happen alongside power and other essential utilities, supported by a national framework that allows government and industry to move quickly and work together,” Globe General Counsel Vicente Froilan M. Castelo said in a statement on Tuesday.
Globe said the proposed framework would address logistical and infrastructure constraints that could delay the restoration of telecommunications services.
The company said it raised the proposal during discussions on mobile network policy principles involving the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), an international organization representing mobile network operators.
Globe said it had asked the GSMA to encourage governments to develop comprehensive utility resiliency plans as telecommunications infrastructure faces risks from severe weather and natural disasters.
“We can build stronger networks, prepare our teams, and position resources ahead of severe weather, but there are dependencies that no telecommunications operator can address alone,” Mr. Castelo said.
Under the proposal, telecommunications restoration teams would receive priority access to government transportation and logistical resources when damaged or inaccessible roads prevent them from reaching affected facilities.
“Telecommunications networks depend on other critical infrastructure to operate, including commercial power, fuel, transportation, and secure physical access to network facilities. This means restoration can be delayed even when operators have teams, generators, and equipment ready for deployment,” Globe said.
The company also called for policy incentives to help telecommunications operators finance additional disaster-resilience measures.
Globe said these investments could include more backup power systems, stronger network infrastructure, and additional network redundancy to maintain service availability when facilities are damaged or disrupted.
“Stronger structural standards, additional backup systems, and greater network redundancy carry significant costs, making a supportive policy environment important to sustaining resilience investments while operators continue expanding and improving their networks,” it said.
Globe said it continues to invest in backup power, network redundancy, and satellite connectivity as part of its disaster preparedness measures.
Shares in Globe rose P4, or 0.26%, to close at P1,519 apiece on Tuesday. — Ashley Erika O. Jose