MANILA, Philippines - Ayala-led Globe Telecom Inc. is in discussion with local exchange carriers for the interconnection of their landline services in the provinces to provide greater access to telecommunication services for its customers.
Froilan Castelo, general counsel and head of corporate and legal services group of Globe, said the company is amenable to discussions for cooperation with other local exchange carriers as part of its goal of providing cost-effective services to its customers.
“The interconnection provides an avenue for subscribers of both companies to have access to more subscribers and at the same time realize savings as they call one another. Furthermore, the collaboration provides business opportunities for enterprises located in the provinces,†Castelo said.
He pointed out that the company has recently completed and activated the local interconnection of its landline service with Datelcom in Pampanga.
The partnership with Datelcom would pave the way for subscribers of both companies to call each other without incurring additional charges.
“With this development, subscribers of both telco providers may now call each other locally through a 7-digit local dialing. This could mean significant savings for subscribers of both companies as they no longer have to pay long distance charges when calling each other,†he explained.
Prior to the activation, interconnection rate for landline in Pampanga was set at P3 per minute.
Aside from Datelcom, Castelo said Globe also has interconnection agreement with Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc. (Sun Cellular) in Pampanga.
Last September, Globe and PLDT commercially activated the local interconnection in Davao del Norte to allow their subscribers to call each other without additional charges.
Prior to the commercial activation of the interconnection, landline customers of both Globelines, the telephone arm of Globe, and PLDT were charged with long distance rate amounting to P5 per minute.
Globe and PLDT are also working on similar arrangements in Pangasinan, Zambales and Davao del Sur, Misamis Occidental and Ilocos Norte.
Both providers have existing interconnection in Metro Manila, Cavite, Iloilo, Capiz, Batangas, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Leyte, Davao City, Pampanga, Bulacan, Zamboanga, Laguna, Quezon, La Union, Nueva Ecija, Benguet, General Santos, South Cotabato, and Tarlac.
Republic Act No. 7925 or the Public Telecommunications Policy Act mandates the compulsory interconnection of authorized public telecommunications carriers to create a universally accessible and fully integrated nationwide telecommunications network.
The law would also encourage more infrastructure investments from the private sector that would benefit the consumers.