The company warned that theft at telecommunications sites can knock out connectivity for communities and force operators to divert resources from network expansion and upgrades to repairs and replacement of stolen equipment.
Service disruptions
Each affected site could disrupt services used for work, education, business, emergency communications and other digital services, Globe said.
Repeated incidents could also undermine investments aimed at expanding coverage, improving network quality and making telecommunications infrastructure more resilient.
“This is no longer simply a matter of stolen equipment. When critical telecommunications infrastructure is damaged or taken, communities can lose connectivity and the investments being made to improve network services are undermined,” Globe general counsel Froilan Castelo said in a statement.
“We need stronger, coordinated action across government, law enforcement, local communities, and the telecommunications industry to address this problem,” he added.
Globe urged the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to bring together telecommunications operators, tower companies and government agencies to develop a coordinated response to infrastructure theft.
The company is also seeking greater involvement from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, local government units and barangays in preventing theft and strengthening enforcement.
Community watch
Globe said barangay and LGU officials could serve as the first line of defense because many telecommunications facilities are located within their communities.
It called for closer coordination with local officials and barangay tanods to monitor vulnerable facilities, report suspicious activities and verify whether people working on telecommunications equipment belong to legitimate and authorized crews.
Globe also wants authorities to crack down on the illegal trade in stolen cables, equipment and other network materials, arguing that reducing demand for stolen materials could make infrastructure theft less profitable.
Existing provisions of the Revised Penal Code and the Anti-Fencing Law provide avenues for prosecuting theft as well as the buying and selling of stolen property, the company said.
Network investments
Telecommunications companies spend heavily to expand and improve their networks, but recurring theft means funds intended for new infrastructure and upgrades may instead have to be used to replace stolen equipment and restore damaged sites.
Globe said it continues to coordinate with authorities and industry partners to secure its facilities and restore affected sites.
With more than 1,000 pilferage cases recorded through September, the telco said a national response should cover prevention, community vigilance and enforcement, while also targeting the illegal resale of stolen telecommunications equipment. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
