Bayantel, Digitel, and Globe now 100% interconnected

CEBU, Philippines - In compliance to Republic Act 7925, or the Public Telecommunications Policy Act of 1995, the networks of Bayan Telecommunications (Bayantel), Digitel Telecommunications Philippines (Digitel) and Globe Telecoms are now 100 percent interconnected in all areas of common presence and operations nationwide.

This follows after the commercial activation of the local linkage between the networks of Globe and Digitel in Lucena City and the rest of Quezon province.

The law aims to create a universally accessible and fully integrated nationwide telecommunications network to encourage more infrastructure investments from the private sector that benefit consumers.

Interconnected telecommunication network means that in areas where Globe, Digitel or Bayantel are present, customers of the competing telcos within a province or city can call each other locally via seven-digit local dialing without having to pay long distance rates.

In the past, subscribers of rival telcos, regardless of whether or not they live in the same town, had to pay long-distance rates to call each other via landline.

“This is another milestone not only for Globe, Bayantel and Digitel, but more importantly for the public who will benefit from the interconnection,” said Melvin Santos, Head for National Carrier Relations of Globe Telecom.

“Competition should not get in the way of serving the public interest and we have proven that even rival telcos can work together for the greater good,” added Santos.

Globe and Digitel have established interconnection in common operation areas in the National Capital Region and in the provinces of Camarines Norte, Bataan, Lucena, Sorsogon, Ilocos Sur, Nueva Vizcaya, and Zambales. On the other hand, Globe and Bayantel are both present in the National Capital Region and the provinces of Iloilo, Cebu, Eastern Samar, Negros Occidental, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Norte, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Sorsogon.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) has yet to fulfill full interconnection with its competitors.

To date, both PLDT and Globe are locally interconnected only in Davao City, Batangas, Cavite, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Cotabato City.

The two companies’ networks are not yet interconnected in at least 20 more provinces where both have commercial operations, including the provinces of Pampanga, La Union and Benguet.

Earlier, the NTC and the provincial board of Pampanga announced that PLDT and Globe will implement the interconnection of its networks in the province on April 15, 2011.    

“We’ve always been ready and waiting to interconnect our network with all our competitors,” said Froilan Castelo, Head of the Corporate and Legal Services Group of Globe.

“We at Globe are fully supportive of the thrust towards developing the country’s Information and Communication Technology infrastructure, which will spur more growth, especially for the Business Process Outsourcing industry, and interconnection of landline facilities is a must if we want economic development to spread beyond urban areas,” Castelo added.

After completing its nationwide interconnection with Digitel and BayanTel, Globe is hopeful that interconnection agreements with PLDT will be hastened for the benefit of the consumers as part of efforts to develop the country’s telecommunications infrastructure and provide consumers with a more cost-efficient way of communications.— (FREEMAN)