Globe, BayanTel link up in Bicol

MANILA, Philippines - Globe Telecom has sealed an interconnection agreement with Lopez-owned Bayan Telecommunications for the provinces of Camarines Sur and Albay.

The deal enables Globelines and BayanTel subscribers in these areas to make local calls to one another.

The local interconnection between the two telcos took effect June 16, 2010. With this development, Globe is set to provide its wireline products and services to the residents of Camarines Sur and Albay, as it pursues its network rollout in these parts of Bicol region. 

“The interconnection allows Globelines and BayanTel landline customers in Camarines Sur and Albay to call one another without any additional fee. As these will now be considered local calls, the people in the area stand to benefit by saving on long distance charges that they used to pay before in making calls from one provider to the other. Our Globelines customers can simply dial the seven-digit telephone number to connect with the other service provider,” Globe regulatory affairs head Froilan Castelo said.

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) mandates compulsory interconnection of authorized public telecommunications carriers under Republic Act 7925. This aims to create a universally accessible and fully integrated nationwide telecommunications network to encourage more infrastructure investments from the private sector that would benefit the consumers.