NTC allays fears over record retention rule

Stung by persistent notions it wants to play Big Brother, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) sought Thursday to allay fears surrounding its new data log retention rule. NTC spokesman Lucio Espinosa Jr said the NTC ruling on data log retention only keeps data surrounding the calls, and not the calls themselves. "Ang ire-record lang, ang origin ng tawag, destination ng tawag, at date and time (What will be recorded are the origin of the call, the destination, and the date and time of the call)," Espinosa said in an interview on dzBB radio. Phone subscribers with complaints or questions can call the NTC main office in Quezon City at 9244042, he said. "Safe ang personal calls. Ang objective para ma-resolve ang billing disputes lamang (Personal calls are safe. Our objective is to resolve billing disputes)," he added. He also said strict rules are in place such that only the subscriber can summon the records, and only in cases involving billing disputes. Espinosa said the rule is part of the NTC's consumer protection guidelines dated June 8, to help the operations of its new one-stop public assistance center. The new rule on data log retention will take effect starting July. "Ang daming reklamo sa diminishing load and contested overseas calls. Pag nagreklamo ang subscribers, voluntary ang pag-record ng billing (Many subscribers have been complaining about diminishing cell phone loads and contested overseas calls. At present, phone companies keep logs of the calls on a voluntary basis)," Espinosa said. Under the NTC ruling as proposed by commissioner Abraham Abesamis, phone companies are required to retain call logs for non-metered landlines for up to two months, and metered lines for up to four months. Espinosa noted the present policy of phone companies is to keep records for up to 30 days only. He said that to get access to the records, the subscriber must have an official written complaint to the NTC. "Hindi maaring ilabas ito nang walang complaint ... Subscriber lang ang pwede mag-request sa amin and only in connection with the complaint filed and pending before the NTC (The records cannot be brought out without a formal complaint ... Only the subscriber can send a request to us, and that request must be in connection with the complaint filed and pending before the NTC)," he said. Espinosa said the NTC order also prevents phone subscribers from avoiding payment by repeatedly disputing their bills, requiring phone companies to resolve the dispute soonest. - GMANews.TV