The community e-center is a model adopted by the government to provide Internet access to remote areas. These centers - most of which were public calling stations previously ran by the Telecommunications Office (TELOF) under the Department of Transportation and Communications - are open for investment from private companies.

'We would require these license holders that for every authorization we issue, there should be a corresponding computation on their part to support CeCs,' said Sales, referring to VOIP service providers.

'This is going to be a joint public-private sector activity wherein government will put in the seed money to establish the CeCs while the telecommunication entities will provide connectivity,' the CICT chief added.