Malaysia-based edotco Group Sdn Bhd (edotco), a regional end-to-end integrated telecommunications infrastructure services company, has increased its presence in South East Asia through its latest entry into the Philippines. edotco is a subsidiary of the Axiata Group.
Formalising its entry into the market, edotco has entered into an equity partnership with ISOC Infrastructure, Inc. (ISOC), known as ‘ISOC edotco Towers, Inc.’ which upon completion will become a subsidiary of edotco. ISOC edotco Towers, Inc. will be 51% owned by edotco and 49% by ISOC Infrastructure. Both partners said that it aims to bring together their operational expertise and technological capabilities to enhance digital connectivity and advance the Filipino telecommunications infrastructure landscape.
In the first year of operations, ISOC edotco Towers Inc. aims to build 400 to 500 towers, contributing towards the one thousand towers planned within the first phase of operations, which will span across 2-3 years. Both companies said it will invest up to USD100 million in the Philippine market over the next three to five years.
Commenting on its expansion, edotco Group CEO Suresh Sidhu said, “We recognize that each market has a unique set of telecommunication requirements and challenges, and we continuously develop innovative and sustainable solutions to meet these connectivity needs. While the common tower sharing practice in the Philippines is in its early stages. Our entry into the country is set to support the nation’s digital ambitions and assist in bringing greater connectivity to 108 million Filipinos.”
Speaking on the partnership, Sidhu said, “We believe there is a great need for shared infrastructure. It has proven to help mobile network operators focus on their core business and service offerings by alleviating the cost pressure of building and maintaining towers. The right sharable infrastructure will be able to meet the current demands for affordable and reliable connectivity in the Philippines. Partnering with local leading players is a key strategy for us to ensure we are meeting the country’s specific needs and we see this collaboration with ISOC as a catalyst to enable transformation within the Philippines telecommunications sector and lay the right foundation for the country’s digital readiness.”
With the latest expansion, edotco Group now covers eight countries in South and South East Asia, namely Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The company operates and manages a regional portfolio of over 29,900 Telco towers across core markets of Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan with 19,700 towers directly operated by edotco and a further 10,200 towers managed through a range of services provided.
