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ARE the
Zobels and their Singapore partners buying Radio
Mindanao Network (RMN) and Associates or not to enable
Globe Telecom Inc. to go into mobile television and IPTV
(Internet Protocol TV) services?
If
industry sources are to be believed, then Globe Telecom
may soon pursue the venture.
But then
officials of the mobile phone firm denied they are
interested in buying RMN, which a source said was a
denial that was expected of them.
“Globe
is a publicly-listed firm,” the source said. “They are
being careful not to talk about it since they would
rather conclude the talks first before announcing
anything.”
Another
source said Globe is decided on buying the broadcasting
firm, which owns and operates 50 AM and FM radio and
television stations. “It’s not a partnership because
they have already started the due diligence process.
They are still on that stage. Globe is buying RMN,” said
the source.
Contacted for confirmation, Globe president Gerardo
Ablaza said in a text message: “I am unable to comment
at this time.”
About
2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Globe head for regulatory affairs
Froilan Castelo called to say “We deny that,” apparently
referring to Globe buying RMN. But, he said Globe
continues to explore “all possibilities of providing
service to our customers.”
The
BusinessMirror talked with one of the owners, Charlie
Canoy, son of Henry Canoy, who, however, refused to
comment.
In May,
Ablaza said in an interview that Globe had yet to find a
partner in its plan to go into mobile but was looking at
“a couple of options.”
“It is a
bit more complicated because Globe itself can not offer
mobile TV over digital TV-terrestrial/handheld (DT-T/H)
service,” Ablaza said. “We have to partner with somebody
who has the broadcast license and then we will provide
the service capability.”
Other
sources had different version saying the ongoing talks
between Globe and RMN focused on tapping RMN as its
partner its foray into mobile television and IPTV
services.
“Where
attractive acquisition candidates and partnership
opportunities exist, we will invest in allied
industries, technologies and services complementary to
our core business, and those that are based on the
competencies and lessons we have learned in the telco
market. We look for other opportunities that could
possibly include mobile TV and IPTV,” Ablaza had said.
Globe
already offers to its subscribers mobile TV but running
on its 3G (third-generation) network. 3G video
streaming, however, is choppy and the quality is not
very good. The cellular firm is not actively branding it
as a “mobile TV” service but as part of the operator’s
3G video-streaming services.
Rival
Smart Communications Inc. is already offering mobile TV
since 2006 albeit on a test-broadcast service. Smart’s
myTV runs on a network independent of its existing
cellular infrastructure. It is not transmitted through
the cellular network via video streaming and
video-downloads services, which are currently offered
through 3G cellular networks. |
