Roxas to NTC: Pre-paid load resolution too late, not enough

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today said the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) resolution lengthening the validity of pre-paid call load is too late and not enough to address consumer demands for a fair and equitable deal from telecommunications companies.

Roxas said the Senate committee on trade and commerce which he heads will push for the per-second metering system on cellular phone calls as practiced elsewhere.

"Maganda itong naging memorandum circular ng NTC pero, bakit ngayon lang? Siguradong daan-daang milyong piso na ang kinita nitong mga telcos na ito mula sa kanilang mga subscribers," he said, referring to the issuance of NTC Memorandum Circular No. 03-07-2009, which imposed longer expiration or validity periods for pre-paid loads.

The Senate trade and commerce committee is looking into service complaints against the country’s giant mobile phone providers Smart Communications Inc, Globe Telecoms and Digitel Mobile/Sun raised by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile in a privileged speech entitled “The Case of the Disappearing Load.”

"Kailangang kumilos ngayon na ng NTC upang ma-resolba ang iba pang mga reklamo laban sa mga telcos na ito. Hindi pwedeng babagal-bagal pa rin ito sa kabila ng mga napakaraming reklamo mula sa mga celfone subscribers," Roxas stressed.

The Visayan senator stressed it is important for the NTC to come up now with guidelines against the sending of push messages and the on the use of per-second charging on voice calls.

The Roxas committee has scheduled a Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting on Wednesday to discuss the results of the NTC’s discussions with the telcos in relation to pending proposals concerning the cases of disappearing loads and other pre-paid phone irregularities. The TWG was formed to discuss complaints against wireless phone providers.

"Kailangan natin siguruhin ang tama at wastong pagsingil ng mga kumpanyang ito nang mapangalagaan natin ang interest ng ating mga kababayan," Roxas said.

Monday, July 6, 2009 | posted in disappearing load controversy, globe, juan ponce enrile, mar roxas, ntc, smart, sun cellular | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas: Telcos OK to per-second call charging

The country’s top three mobile service providers have committed to review their existing per-minute call rates and consider instead a per-second rate regime for voice calls made by the estimated 75 million mobile telephone subscribers nationwide, Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas announced yesterday.

Roxas, chairman of the Senate trade and commerce committee, created a Technical Working Group (TWG), to be headed by National Telecommunications Commission Commissioner Atty. Ruel Canobas, to map out and resolve all technical and commercial issues that could bar a call metering system for all wireless voice calls.

Representatives from Smart Communications Inc., Globe Telecom and Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc. (Sun) said during the hearing that a per-second call charging was acceptable provided that government, or Congress, comes up with equitable regulations that would guide such billing system.

"Now we can get some forward movement and accomplish something na hindi na natin hinihintay pa ang batas," the Visayan senator said, stressing: "Hindi pwedeng tumagal itong isang minutong singil para sa 20- egundo o 30-segundo na gamit. Dahil sa palengke, ang isang dosena ay 12, hindi isa o dalawa o tatlo lang."

He mandated the TWG to report results of its discussions in the next hearing, warning that "kung hindi ito gagawin ngayon, darating din ang batas at iyon din ang kakalabasan nito. Mas mabuti ngayon pa lang simulan na ito."

He reminded the NTC it has the power to regulate the telecommunications industry and to keep under its control charges imposed by wireless telephone providers.

"Makapangyarihan kayo. Kung gagamitin ninyo ang inyong poder, ang inyong karapatan na nasa batas, napakatindi nito. Hindi lamang kayo isang convenor. Talagang pupukpukin niyo, papandayin niyo, hububugin ninyo itong kasunduan na ito para may marating na aktwal na accomplishment," he said.

Smart Communications’ public affairs head Ramon Isberto, Globe Telecom’s chief legal counsel Atty. Rodolfo Salalima and Digitel’s Senior Vice President for Legal Services Atty. William Pamintuan told senators there were no technical hitches to the proposed call metering system.

They said their respective firms are actually already practicing the per-second charging through their Smart-to-Smart, Globe-to-Globe and Sun-to-Sun unlimited calls and text promos, respectively.

"Kailangan natin siguruhin ang tama at wastong pagsingil ng mga kumpanyang ito nang mapangalagaan natin ang interest ng ating mga kababayan," Roxas said.

Thursday, June 25, 2009 | posted in globe, mar roxas, ntc, ramon isberto, rodolfo salalima, ruel canobas, smart, sun cellular, william pamintuan | 1 comments [ More ]

Senate opens inquiry into prepaid 'disappearing load' cases

The Senate committee on trade and commerce will open its inquiry into the case of the "disappearing e-load" controversy that allegedly victimized millions of Filipinos, including Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who owns pre-paid account mobile phone services.

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce tasked to investigate the case, has invited representatives from Globe Telecoms, Smart Communications Inc. and Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc. (Sun Cellular) to attend the hearing scheduled at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Also invited to the hearing were Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Trade Secretary Peter Favila, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez and National Telecommunications Commission Chair Ruel Canobas to shed light on how government regulates the mobile phone industry.

"Susuriin nating mabuti kung paanong pinangangalagaan ng pamahalaan ang interes ng mga mobile phone users," Roxas said.

"Kailangan din nating silipin kung sumusunod nga sa patakaran ng pamahalaan itong mga telcos na ito at kung totoo ang mga reklamo na inaabuso nila ang milyon-milyong subscribers ng mga pre-paid plans," he added.

Senate President Enrile delivered a privilege speech two weeks ago rebuking mobile phone companies because the pre-paid call credits loaded into his mobile phone "disappeared," a case which he said afflicts millions of other Filipinos.

As of December 2007, records show an estimated 57 million subscribers of the three giant telecommunication companies, which have registered total gross revenues of P149.5 billion in 2007. Industry players say the current volume of text messages per day reaches 2 billion or 16,200 text messages per second.

Monday, June 15, 2009 | posted in globe, juan ponce enrile, leandro mendoza, mar roxas, peter favila, philippines, raul gonzalez, ruel canobas, smart, sun cellular | 0 comments [ More ]