Philippine News Updates: Telecommunications

Duterte ready to shut down PLDT if anti-graft hotline doesn’t improve

Thursday, February 28, 2019 Mavie Global - Ultron Staking 0

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President Rodrigo Duterte said he will not think twice on shutting down the business of PLDT Inc. if it fails to improve the government’s anti-graft hotline.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Rx3EUq60YbH0yK6TG3qPE2sCVVmyoRR4JKop956yeiOA23nvbc9J4S6VMhyzx4E7hcZh9w8DXYCEdCVN1eeAAPW0qiQHTmjFoYNBLu4-tdbfGvIDUY0gHHDXhcxgMXsX_9eKq7DaQm-N/s1600/Virtual-Pinoy-2-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Rx3EUq60YbH0yK6TG3qPE2sCVVmyoRR4JKop956yeiOA23nvbc9J4S6VMhyzx4E7hcZh9w8DXYCEdCVN1eeAAPW0qiQHTmjFoYNBLu4-tdbfGvIDUY0gHHDXhcxgMXsX_9eKq7DaQm-N/s640/Virtual-Pinoy-2-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Image by Presidential Communications via Facebook page</i></div>
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While in Cebu, the President mentioned his efforts in fighting corruption in the government. Part of the President’s campaign is the establishment of an anti-graft trunkline, where the public can easily report any acts of corruptions and complaints from any government agency by simply calling 8888.<br />
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However, Duterte complained that the 8888 hotline isn’t accessible because it’s always busy. He instructed former Special Assistant to President Christopher “Bong” Go to add another trunk line. The President said, “If you see corruption, tell me. Call 8888. Bong, add another trunk line. The present setup can’t accommodate all the calls. It’s always busy.”<br />
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Duterte continued that if not, he will not hesitate in stopping the telecommunication giant’s business. He said, “Tell PLDT. If not, I’ll shut down their business.”<br />
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The President added that the PLDT still owed the government money and he is very willing to ask for it in time. He said, “Oo, that’s true. I don’t want to brag, but they owe the government eight billion [pesos]. No President has ever asked for payment. But when I became President, I said…”<br />
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Meanwhile, PLDT has issued a statement that they are now working at improving their services. Following the President’s remarks,  PLDT spokesman Ramon Isberto said, “We are currently taking steps to address the concern expressed by the President to improve the public’s access to the Citizen’s Complaint Center 8888 hotline number.”<br />
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The 8888 Citizens’ Complaint Hotline was launched in August 2016. It is a 24-hour national citizens’ complaint hotline. Complaints will be referred for immediate action to concerned agencies, which are expected to respond within five working days.<br />
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Source: <a href="http://virtualpinoy.com/" target="_blank">Virtual Pinoy</a></div>

President Rodrigo Duterte said he will not think twice on shutting down the business of PLDT Inc. if it fails to improve the government’s a...

Permanent Mobile Number, Approved by Duterte

Sunday, February 24, 2019 Mavie Global - Ultron Staking 0

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In other countries in the West like Canada and the United States of America, they can port their numbers into other carriers or providers if they wish to do so. In our country, however, that’s yet to be approved until last year, when the House of Representatives approved House Bill 7652 or also known as the Mobile Number Portability bill.<br />
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lifestyle news Telecommunications Permanent Mobile Number, Approved by Duterte

In other countries in the West like Canada and the United States of America, they can port their numbers into other carriers or provide...

New law removes extra charges for texts, calls to other networks

Friday, February 22, 2019 Mavie Global - Ultron Staking 0

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Metro Manila (February 20, CNN Philippines) — Mobile phone users would no longer have to pay extra for calling and texting other networks, thanks to a new law.<br />
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Under the Mobile Number Portability Act signed recently by President Rodrigo Duterte, mobile service providers should not charge an interconnection fee for domestic calls and texts upon effectivity of the law.<br />
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"Ibig sabihin kahit tumawag ka sa Globe, Smart o doon sa third telco, wala na silang sisingilin na interconnection fees sa text at sa tawag," Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, the primary author of the law, told CNN Philippines' Balitaan on Wednesday.<br />
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[Translation: This means that even if you call to Globe, Smart or to the third telco, they would no longer charge interconnection fees for texts and calls.]<br />
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Currently, the National Telecommunications Commission pegs interconnection charges at P0.05 per message and P0.50 per minute for calls.<br />
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Gatchalian said this amendment in the bill was introduced by Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, who raised the possibility of users not benefitting from the law which allows them to transfer mobile networks without changing numbers because they still have to pay interconnection charges for calls and texts to other networks.<br />
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Gatchalian said mobile service providers can easily shoulder this, as interconnection fees only account for a fraction of their income.<br />
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Under the law, mobile service providers that do not let subscribers switch to another network within 24 hours would be fined from ₱10,000 to ₱1,000,000 and even have their franchises revoked. Subscribers are also entitled to damages of up to ₱40,000.<br />
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Gatchalian said the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the law should be completed within 90 days after its enactment.<br />
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The National Privacy Commission said it will work with the National Telecommunications Commission and other government agencies to provide additional inputs in the crafting of the IRR and other policies related to number porting.<br />
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The privacy body vowed to provide safeguards to protect the personal data of mobile subscribers.<br />
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CNN Philippines Multi-platform Writer Xave Gregorio and CNN Philippines Correspondent Carolyn Bonquin contributed to this report.<br />
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Source: CNN Philippines</div>