Press Release
March 21, 2021

Gatchalian renews call to apply Mobile Number Portability Act ahead of franchise renewal of new telco

Senator Win Gatchalian renewed his call for the immediate implementation of the Mobile Number Portability Act (MNPA) ahead of Congress' grant of franchises to new players in the telecommunications industry.

The senator made the appeal in the middle of the upper chamber's deliberations last Wednesday on House Bill No. 7332 which will renew for another 25 years the franchise granted to Mindanao Islamic Telephone Company Inc. or Mislatel, presently known as Dito Telecommunity Corp., the country's third player. The company's existing franchise is set to expire on April 24, 2023.

"The MNPA will give us the flexibility of moving to a new telco without changing our personal numbers. It's very difficult and very taxing to change and send notices to everyone if we switch to a new service provider. Besides, the implementation of this law has long been delayed," Gatchalian said, adding that it should have been enforced in January last year.

Following a delay owing to the pandemic, the country's telcos have committed to rollout in phases this year the implementation of the law which will allow mobile phone subscribers to switch networks or change subscriptions without losing the mobile numbers they are using and without having to pay for interconnection fees for calling or texting across different service providers.

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), along with Smart Communications, Globe Telecoms and Dito should expedite the process of interoperability ahead of their earlier commitment to fully launch commercially the mobile portability by September this year, stressed Gatchalian, the principal author of Republic Act No. 11202.

"With the MNPA in place, it will enhance competition and it will make our lives easier as we will be able to choose which service suits us best," he added.

"Isinabatas ito noong hindi pa nadidiskubre ang virus na sinasabi nilang nagpatagal ng proseso para sa MNPA. Baka naman maaaring madaliin na ngayon ng mga telco ang integration at iba pang technical preparations para sa MNPA na dapat sana ay mahigit isang taon nang napapakinabangan ng sambayanan," he said.

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Gatchalian: Mobile Number Portability Act dapat gumulong na

Muling iginiit ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang agarang pagpapatupad ng Mobile Number Portability Act (MNPA) bago pa magdesisyon ang Kongreso na i-renew ang prangkisa ng mga bagong telecommunications companies o telcos.

Nanawagan si Gatchalian habang pinagdedebatehan sa Senado noong nakaraang Miyerkoles ang House Bill No. 7332 na magpapalawig ng 25 pang taon sa prangkisa ng Mindanao Islamic Telephone Company Inc. o Mislatel na kilala ngayong Dito Telecommunity Corp. Ang prangkisa kasi ng naturang third player ay matatapos sa Abril 24, 2023.

"Maisasakatuparan ng MNPA ang pagpapalit natin ng service provider na hindi na kinakailagan pang palitan din ang ating mga personal na numero ng telepono. Malaking abala ito lalo na't kailangan natin na abisuhan ang lahat tuwing magpapalit tayo ng bagong service provider. Bukod pa dito, matagal nang naantala ang pagpapatupad ng batas na ito," saad ni Gatchalian.

Ayon sa senador, dapat sana ay noong Enero ng nakaraang taon pa napapakinabangan ang nasabing batas.

Ang pandemya ang itinuturo ng mga telcos na dahilan sa pagkakaantala ng pagpapatupad ng batas na magpapahintulot sa mga mobile phone subscribers na makapagpalit ng network ng hindi na kinakailangan pang magpalit ng numero ng kanilang telepono at magbayad ng interconnection fees tuwing tatawag o magte-text sa ibang service providers.

Ayon kay Gatchalian, pangunahing may-akda ng Republic Act No. 11202 o MPNA, dapat nang madaliin ng National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), Smart Communications, Globe Telecoms at Dito ang proseso ng interoperability bago pa man ang naipangako na nilang full commercial launch ng mobile portability sa darating na Setyembre ng kasalukuyang taon.

"Kapag naipatupad na ang MNPA, magbubunsod ito ng kumpetisyon at mapapadali na sa atin ang pagpili ng serbisyong naaayon sa pangangailangan natin," sabi ng senador.

"Isinabatas ito noong hindi pa nadidiskubre ang virus na sinasabi nilang nagpatagal ng proseso para sa MNPA. Baka naman maaaring madaliin na ngayon ng mga telco ang integration at iba pang technical preparations para sa MNPA na dapat sana ay mahigit isang taon nang napapakinabangan ng sambayanan," pagtatapos ni Gatchalian.

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