Globe asks NTC to intervene in interconnection issue with PLDT

MANILA, Philippines - Ayala-controlled Globe Telecom Inc. has asked the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to look into the delays in the interconnection with dominant carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT).

In a letter to NTC commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba, Globe head of National Carrier Relations Division Melvin Santos urged the regulator to urgently intervene and compel PLDT to fulfill its local interconnection commitments with Globe/Innove especially in the provinces.

“Local interconnection with PLDT has been pending for years now despite orders from the NTC and public inconvenience,” Santos stressed.

To date, Santos pointed out, only 11 out of the 32 candidate areas for local interconnection have been accommodated by PLDT for activation.

“Such inaction and neglect of NTC rules by PLDT betray their apparent lack of serious regard for the mandatory character of interconnection to the detriment of public service,” he added.

Globe initiated discussions for local interconnection with PLDT in 2006 in view of the approval for nationwide roll-out granted by the NTC to Innove Communications Inc. In 2007, it formalized its request for local interconnection with PLDT in compliance with existing laws and rules prescribed by the regulator.

PLDT activated nine of the 32 candidate areas including Davao City, La Union, Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, Quezon, and Zamboanga City. Six more areas were pushed for local interconnection in 2012.

However, PLDT only activated two out of the six additional areas it committed in 2012.

“Despite our continuous and persistent efforts of following up with PLDT via letters, emails, telephone and numerous bilateral discussions there has been no significant movement or progress on PLDT’s side currently,” Santos said.

He added that NTC even wrote in Oct. 22 formally requesting PLDT to “give its utmost priority, attention and necessary support to ensure the completion of the local interconnection project.”

“Such inaction and neglect of NTC rules by PLDT betray their apparent lack of serious regard for the mandatory character of interconnection,” he lamented.

He warned that the Ayala-owned telecom provider is ready to haul PLDT to court.

“While we are ready to initiate administrative proceedings against PLDT, we are taking the present step in the spirit of an amicable resolution of our differences and consistent with the principle of exhaustion of administrative remedies,” Santos said.

PLDT spokesperson Ramon Isberto told reporters that the company has been working with Globe over the past several years to establish local interconnections including necessary field testing, technical work as well as working out their necessary commercial arrangements.

“As a result local interconnect has been established in several new areas over the past years and we will continue to work with Globe to establish more local interconnection in more areas this year,” Isberto clarified.

Yoly Crisanto, head of corporate communications of Globe, welcomed the move of NTC to look into reports of mobile phone users experiencing delays in receiving text messages, specifically between Sun Cellular and Globe networks.