6-second per pulse billing system set in December

MANILA, Philippines - Telecommunications companies have agreed to implement a six-second per pulse billing system for mobile voice calls starting December.

Douglas Michael Mallillin, deputy commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), told the Senate yesterday that the NTC has issued a fourth memorandum circular on the guidelines on the unit of billing for mobile voice service.

“You are not charged for a full minute anymore, you are going to be charged based on the pulse of the nearest calls rounded off,” he said.

Under the memo, the rate for the first two pulses or its equivalent if a lower period per pulse is used, may be higher than the succeeding pulses to recover the cost of the call set-up. The cellular mobile telephone service (CMTS), whether prepaid or postpaid, shall be six seconds per pulse.

Mallillin added that the CMTS shall submit to the NTC their respective proposed rates based on the prescribed unit of billing in 30 days upon the effectivity of the circular, which was signed July 23.

Meanwhile, Sen. Manuel Roxas II, chairman of the Senate trade and commerce committee, welcomed the development. 

“This is good news for the 75 million cellular phone users in the country, especially pre-paid consumers,” he said. About 80 percent of mobile phone users in the country are pre-paid subscribers.

He said they will closely monitor “the implementation of the new NTC regulations in response to consumer complaints against the telcos. We will remain vigilant in our vow to protect the interest of the public.”

Mallillin told senators that Globe Telecom, Smart Communication and Sun Cellular have agreed to the proposed six-second per pulse billing system, which he said is the established billing system adopted by wireless carriers around the globe. Representatives from the three companies confirmed Mallillin’s announcement.

The NTC has given the telcos until the first week of December to convert their current systems to the new billing scheme and to conduct tests to ensure the smooth implementation of the system.