Priming up telecommunications and businesses in the countryside with One Province, One Rate
MANILA, Philippines - From the time the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) came out with the One Province, One Rate (1P1R) policy, more provinces in Luzon are now experiencing the benefits of affordable connectivity as the country’s major telecommunications operators work on a full schedule to complete local interconnection services in the area before the year ends. This year, the provinces of Bulacan, Laguna, Quezon, Cavite, Bataan, Isabela, Nueva Ecija, La Union, Benguet, Batangas and Pampanga will be open to 1P1R. While Ilocos Norte/Sur, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Nueva Viscaya, Tarlac, Zambales, Mindoro, Albay, Camarines Norte/Sur, Sorsogon will soon enjoy the benefits of the said service by the first quarter of 2012.
NTC’s One Province, One Rate policy is anchored on the same principle that currently applies in Metro Manila where the area code “02” is the local calling service area among its 16 cities and any landline call made within the metropolis regardless of carrier is considered a local call. Aside from ensuring smooth interconnectivity, one immediate advantage of the policy is the implementation of a flat rate between telecommunications providers within the same province or area. This eliminates steep long distance or access charges when two different landline networks call each other, once a source of inconvenience and unnecessary expense for subscribers in the countryside.
For its part, Digitel Communications Philippines (Digitel) was the first network provider in the country to implement free local calls in Luzon through its One Province One Local Area (OPOLA) by subsidizing NDD charges between SunTel to PLDT or Globe so consumers won’t have to pay extra to enjoy quality telecommunication services. The initiative was spearheaded last January 2011, reinforcing Digitel’s position as the best Voice provider in Luzon.
With the activation of OPOLA in place, Digitel subscribers enjoy enhanced customer experience, easy access, greater connectivity and substantial savings, not to mention efficient and effective communication. Whereas before when a local call from Angeles City, Pampanga, to another landline network in San Fernando, Pampanga, meant paying more, subscribers now have an affordable option to constantly stay connected while stretching the value of their money. For businesses, this means increased productivity, reduced cost and a more cost-efficient way of conducting day-to-day operations.
Aside from the regular landline subscription, Digitel has interspersed OPOLA with Sun Cellular’s Double Unlimited Plus plan to reach out to more consumers who are constantly mobile. The plan combines the convenience of a wireless landline with a mobile SIM, and for a minimum add-on rate to one’s post-paid mobile subscription, a subscriber may make unlimited NDD calls to any Digitel and SunTel landline numbers as well as calls to any local landline network without additional charges so long as it is within the same province.
