PLDT chides Globe on interconnection

MANILA, Philippines -  Telecommunications leader Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) said yesterday its wireline network is interconnected with Globe Telecom in 10 major areas, contrary to the latter’s claim that they have only one point of interconnection.

PLDT’s head of regulatory affairs and policy Ray Espinosa said records with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) showed PLDT and Globe are interconnected in the whole of Greater Metro Manila (GMM), Batangas, Cavite, Cebu, Iloilo, Roxas, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Leyte and Bacolod.

“In the additional 31 areas mentioned by Globe, its legal counsel seems to forget, conveniently, that Globe requested PLDT to prioritize only eight locations that it deemed workable within the year 2011. The following locations and commercial activation schedules were already between Globe and PLDT interconnection representatives with the NTC as witness: Pampanga (June 17), Laguna (July 13), Quezon (Aug. 3), Bulacan (Aug. 26), Zamboanga (Sept. 16), Nueva Ecija (Sept. 30), La Union (Oct. 15) and Benguet (Oct. 31). The remaining 23 areas, which have been agreed for negotiation next year, have certain problems beyond the control of PLDT and Globe because of LGU-related issues such as permits, taxes, etc.,” Espinosa said.

He also pointed out that history will bear witness that “Globe, behind the ‘pious veil’artfully created by its legal counsel, has actually been anti-consumer, anti-interconnect and pro-monopoly,” he said.

He said when PLDT unit Smart Communications launched its digital CMTS service using GSM technology which supported text messaging, Smart formally requested Globe for text interconnection, and due to Globe’s inaction, later filed an administrative complaint against Globe with the NTC.

“Globe opposed the complaint and claimed that text interconnection cannot be demanded since text messaging is neither basic telecommunication service or value-added service. In other words, Globe did not want text interconnection to ever happen. On July 19, 1999, the NTC directed Globe and Smart to interconnect their SMS facilities and ordered Globe to pay a fine for its refusal to interconnect with Smart... Fortunately, the Court of Appeals sustained the NTC order compelling Globe to interconnect its SMS facilities with Smart. Clearly, if Smart did not assert text interconnection and fight Globe’s vehement refusal to allow interconnection, the consumers today would still be communicating within isolated “islands,” Espinosa said.

He added that when Smart and Piltel came up with promotional bucket price offerings, “Globe, true to its anti-consumer color, vigorously opposed the offerings and wanted Smart and Piltel to increase the prices by adding an artificial interconnection charge between the two operators.”

Initially, the NTC upheld the position of Globe, and Smart and Piltel had to pay fines but later allowed the crossing-over bucket price offerings of Smart and Piltel.