At last ang NTC nagmata na !!
Barely a day after being “enlightened” by a well-attended public hearing, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has decided to scrap a provision in a proposed circular that puts a cap or limit on the data volume usage of broadband subscribers.
NTC commissioner Jaime Fortes, in an ambushed interview with reporters on Wednesday in Makati City, said the agency has revised the memorandum circular after getting valuable inputs from industry stakeholders who attended Tuesday’s public hearing at the NTC headquarters in Quezon City.
“The public hearing was very fruitful as we were able to gather thoughtful suggestions from the public,” said Fortes, who was a speaker at the Communications Convergence Forum between the Philippines and Korea at Intercontinental Hotel.
NTC Jaime Fortes discloses to reporters on Wednesday that the NTC has decided to expunge a provision in its proposed circular that puts a cap or limit to the data volume usage of broadband subscribers.
The official said the NTC is unlikely to retain the provision even if the major telcos would insist on retaining the cap.
“We don’t’ care about their opinion, but what’s important to us is the welfare of the consumers.”
The regulatory body received blunt reactions during the public hearing from ordinary users, business owners, and consumer advocacy groups who scored the agency for not doing enough to curb the alleged abuses of local carriers.
But while the NTC has already made up its mind on the broadband cap, it is yet to address the other side of the issue – requiring a minimum broadband speed for service providers.
The NTC originally inserted the broadband cap provision in the draft circular as a way to compel the telcos to give consumers a guaranty for minimum broadband speed.
The PCTO (Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators), an organization of the biggest telecom firms in the country, has opposed this provision, saying it is impractical and contrary to the law that classifies broadband connection as a deregulated service.
The PCTO, headed by former Globe Telecom legal counsel Rodolfo Salalima, said his group is in favor of a broadband data cap but is firmly against requiring a minimum broadband speed.
The agency also said it also implementing one the suggestions made during the hearing, which is to conduct nationwide public consultations since broadband speeds tend to vary in different parts of the country.
“The NTC is still waiting for inputs from other parties and stakeholders and will be conducting regional consultations to give everyone concerned a chance to provide useful insights to improve Internet service. The first of which will most likely be held in Baguio City,” it said.
Wala na ang Bandwidth Capping sa New Memo
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