NTC requires continuity plans for telcos, ISPs

MANILA, Philippines — The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is requiring a business continuity plan from all telecommunication and internet service providers to ensure reliable services and sufficient bandwidth allocation throughout the duration of the enhanced community quarantine.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), through the NTC, said it has directed all public telecommunication entities as well as internet service providers (ISPs) to submit a business continuity plan on or before Friday.

The plan should detail measures taken to ensure uninterrupted service and to address the increased demand for ICT services.

“The order aims to boost efforts at maintaining the operation of vital ICT services and supporting infostructure as the administration extends the enhanced community quarantine until the end of April 2020 to manage the coronavirus disease  2019 or COVID-19 threat,” the DICT said.

“For the duration of the enhanced community quarantine, telecommunications play a key role as many businesses shift from traditional operations to work-from-home arrangements for health and safety concerns,” it said.

The DICT has earlier directed the NTC to monitor mobile network operators (MNOs) and ISPs to ensure the continued provision of reliable services through sufficient bandwidth allocation.

It said MNOs and ISPs are mandated to provide ample bandwidth allocation and availability of service and signal based on their respective service level agreements.

The agency said such measures complement Republic Act 11469, or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act which mandates the continued operation of telecommunications as a critical service during the enhanced community quarantine.

The use of ICT is seen enabling the continuity of key government operations and functions through remote online activities as well as continuity of economic activities in the private sector, including the business, banking and finance, among others.