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THE
National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Monday
ordered Globe Telecom to suspend a new text-sending
offer and restore old rates under its ‘Unlimitxt’
service.
The
order took effect yesterday. Globe is not allowed to
implement the new ‘Unlimited Texting’ service until
further notice, said NTC chief of staff Lucio Espinoza.
“The
commission hereby directs Globe to hold in abeyance the
implementation of the new unlimited text service and
restore the unlimited text promo priced at P15 for one
day, P25 for two days and P50 for five days,” according
to the order, signed by NTC commissioner Abraham
Abesamis.
Globe
is going to write the NTC to formally state its comment
on the February 5 order. “We just got the letter so we
are still huddling on our response to NTC,” said Globe
consumer business group head Ferdinand de la Cruz in a
text message.
Globe
earlier said that it replaced ‘Unlimitxt’ service in
order to continue providing customers with services
appropriate to their needs. “It is also very important
for us to keep a level of service that our customers
require and balance this with the value of the services
we provide.”
The
NTC said it will schedule another meeting, probably two
weeks from now, to give consumer group TXTPower—which
complained of the new Globe promo—enough time to argue
its objections and for Globe to respond to the
objections.
For
now, Globe is directed to offer ‘Unlimitxt’ service,
which provides heavy SMS (short message service) users
the option to send unlimited intranetwork text messages
under the old and cheaper rates.
‘Unlimtxt’ was permanently offered to Globe
subscribers in February last year. Last month, the
company obtained an approval from the NTC to modify
‘Unlimitxt’ to ‘Unlimited Texting’ service beginning
this month.
TXTPower argues that the modified unlimited service
resulted in a 100-percent increase in unlimited texting
rates.
“This
is good news and we hope the order becomes permanent,”
said TXTPower spokesman Anthony Ian Cruz. “This is a
blow against those who abuse consumers.”
Cruz
said the online petition launched by TXTPower helped
boost its complaint against Globe. Some 836 consumers
signed up online to protest the implementation of
Globe’s ‘Unlimitex Texting.’
“We
hope the NTC makes sure Globe follows the order and
rolls back to the previous rates immediately. We will
prepare for a public hearing to demolish Globe’s
arguments and show why keeping unlimited text messaging
rates at the lowest possible levels is a legitimate
proconsumer and pro-business move,” added Cruz.
TXTPower, the League of Filipino Students, the Kabataan
Party-list and the scientist group Agham staged a picket
at the NTC gate yesterday morning.
They
also burned blue ribbons to dramatize their protest. |
