NTC awards permanent license to Smart

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) recently issued to Smart Communications Inc. a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN), making permanent Smart’s authorities to provide cellular, international gateway and local exchange services.

In ceremonies held during the NTC’s 23rd anniversary, Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza and NTC Commissioner Eliseo Rio awarded Smart its CPCN, after having shown full compliance with the requirements as prescribed by Executive Order 109 mandating cellular service providers to install at least 400,000 local exchange lines and international gateway operators, 300,000 local exchange lines.

"Granting the certificate, in fact, has long been overdue. Nevertheless, this is our way of saying thank you for (Smart’s) good business performance which helped boost our economy," Rio said.

In accordance with NTC regulations, Smart has operated and maintained integrated local exchange telephone, domestic toll and private line services, public payphone facilities and public calling offices in several areas in the country.

It has also exceeded the 80-percent minimum requirement for CMTS coverage of all provincial capitals, including all chartered cities, within a period of seven years.