NTC stops 2 firms from sending spam

MANILA, Philippines - The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered two companies to immediately stop sending annoying spam messages to the subscribers of Ayala-led Globe Telecom Inc.

NTC has issued show-cause orders against Caritas Health Shield Inc. and Center for Global Best Practices due to separate complaints filed by Globe.

Globe stated in the complaints that the agents and employees of the two companies are involved in sending unsolicited promotional text messages to its mobile customers.

The legal action taken by the telecommunications provider against Caritas and CGBP is in line with the telco company’s intensified campaign to combat text spam, prompted by constant customer service complaints on the issue.

The order is expected to provide respite to Globe consumers who constantly receive annoying spam messages.

Globe specifically asked the regulatory body to order Caritas, a health insurance company, and CGBP, which offers various training and seminar courses, the payment of appropriate fines and penalties for sending annoying text spam to Globe subscribers. Globe also asked the NTC to permanently bar Caritas and CGBP, its agents and employees from sending spam texts to Globe customers.

The regulatory body also ordered the two companies to appear before the commission on July 15 and to explain in writing within 15 days from receipt of the order why it should not be administratively sanctioned for such violation.

Globe general counsel Froilan Castelo said the NTC directive should provide some breathing space for Globe customers who constantly receive annoying spam messages.

Castelo warned that it would continue to exercise all legal means possible to ease the burden inflicted on our customers by companies that employ text spamming as a marketing strategy.

 â€œSuch companies should be forewarned that similar complaints will be filed against them unless they unilaterally stop sending annoying spam messages to our customers,” he said.

According to Castelo, Globe Telecom is now preparing the filing of separate complaints against two local business organizations whose agents and employees have been identified to be the source of text spams.