Filtered By: Topstories
News

Telecoms' ‘confusing’ per-pulse cellphone scheme irks Enrile


Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Monday blew his top over the refusal of telecommunications firms to implement per-pulse charging on cellular phone calls as ordered earlier by the National Telecommunications Commission. "It is very clearly stated ayaw nilang sundin. The question is, who is to be followed? It should be the government. There is a government here. Hindi pwedeng kung ano ang gusto nyo, yun ang masusunod. No way! Who are you? That is why you are given a franchise. You have to follow," Enrile told the representatives of telecom companies during the hearing on the so-called 'disappearing load' issue. "You want the government to follow what you want. You are governed, you do not govern. You are to follow, not to be followed. That's the game," he added. The Senate President even banged his hand on the table to stress his point. Based on an NTC order, the per-pulse charging of calls should have been implemented starting December 6, after the telecoms asked for 120 days to reprogram their networks. However, the system implemented by the companies needs to use a special character and numbers as prefix to the phone number of the subscriber. Smart subscribers need to use prefix *5433 while Globe subscribers need to use prefix *232 to avail of the per-pulse charging. Earlier, Globe Telecom President Ernest L. Cu and Smart Communications spokesman Ramon R. Isberto both explained that their firms were complying with the order but the prefix system is their stop-gap measure in the meantime. [See: Globe, Smart told to explain noncompliance with per-pulse billing] Enrile said, however, that prefixes should not be used as these only confuse the users. 'Misunderstanding At the hearing, the telecom companies blamed the NTC for the 'misunderstanding' due to the lack of implementing rules and regulations accompanying the order. "We are already reprograming our network and when we consulted the NTC they said subscribers have an option if they will avail the per-minute or per-pulse charging," said Roy Ibay, Smart's senior manager for regulatory affairs. "Sana nagkaroon ng implementing rules para mas malinaw," he added. He said they would need another two months to reprogram their networks and remove the prefix for the subscribers to fully avail of the per pulse charging. Lawyer Rodolfo Salalima, Globe's chief legal counsel, said nothing in the circular issued by the NTC says that prefix is not allowed. Enrile said if the telecom companies did not understand the order of its regulator, they should have filed a motion for clarification. "That is always the practice in regulated business, if you don't understand the order of the regulator, raise a question and file a motion for clarification," he said. NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said "this order was not arrived at unilaterally" as they had a meeting with the telecom companies before they issued it. Contempt powers But Salalima said the NTC should have been more transparent to them. "Sana kung ano ang ginamit na grounds sa amin, ipinakita muna. The NTC already has findings against us," he said. Asked if they will comply with the NTC order, Salalima said they still need to address some "legal and technical constraints." Because of the telecom companies' failure to follow the NTC circular, Enrile said he is now more inclined to provide the commission with contempt powers. "Kailangan (ng contempt power), para ikulong (ang telecom companies) ‘pag hindi sumagot ng tama," the senator told reporters after the hearing. The giving of contempt power to the NTC will be included in Senate Bill 3465 seeking to reorganize and give more teeth to the body. "It is now being discussed, we will pass it by January para meron silang martilyo para pukpukin ang mga ulo ng mga matitigas ang ulo," Enrile said. – Amita O. Legaspi/JV/RSJ, GMANews.TV

LOADING CONTENT