Press Release
July 6, 2009

ROXAS TO NTC: PRE-PAID LOAD RESO TOO LATE, NOT ENOUGH
PER SECOND METERING OF CELLPHONE CALLS PUSHED

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.

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