EASTERN Telecommunications Philippines Inc. (ETPI) wants its interconnection access with the network of Digital Telecommunications Phils. Inc. (Digitel) unblocked so that its dialup customers can use their prepaid Internet subscription.

In a filing with the National Telecommunications Commission, dated February 21, ETPI also asked the commission to impose sanctions and fines against Digitel for violating the policy regulation on interconnection.

“ETPI asks the NTC to immediately issue a cease and desist order (CDO) to Digitel’s unilateral blocking and make such CDO permanent if it is proven that Digitel has violated the rules, regulations and circulars of the NTC for blocking the access of ETPI subscribers to all GO! Premium Internet Cards’ access numbers,” said ETPI counsel Rodolfo Ponferrada.

The NTC has ruled that a carrier should not disconnect or disrupt, or bar and impede, an interconnection access by customers of another phone firm without its approval.

Digitel, in a previous letter to ETPI, said that it blocked ETPI’s access number because of congestion in its network. Digital also said that the situation has deprived its own subscribers making local calls. The letter is with the NTC

Digitel head for national carrier business Mario Garcia had said that local interconnection was not established to accommodate data services such as ETPI’s ‘GO!  Premium Internet Cards.’

But ETPI maintains that nothing in the memorandum of understanding prohibits its customers from engaging in transfer of data. Neither have they agreed to prohibit the transit of Internet traffic.

“Mandated local interconnection is not exclusively for voice traffic but also covers other value-added services, including dial-up Internet services,” said Ponferrada.

ETPI said that Digitel blocked Eastern’s prepaid dial-up Internet service from July 23 to September 2005 and again from September 2006 to the present.

Digitel’s customer service also advised subscribers to use Digitel prepaid cards, not ETPI’s, because the latter’s cards could not make the proper connection.

“ETPI has lost its marketability insofar as Digitel’s customers and subscribers are concerned. Unblocking would not automatically restore the credibility of the GO! Premium Internet Card to this significant segment of the market…The extent of this continuing prejudice to a significant portion of the public is indeed immeasurable,” said Ponferrada.

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EASTERN Telecommunications Philippines Inc. (ETPI) wants its interconnection access with the network of Digital Telecommunications Phils. Inc. (Digitel) unblocked so that its dialup customers can use their prepaid Internet subscription.

PHILIPPINE National Construction Corp. (PNCC), a government-controlled corporation, is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange. It has hundreds of stockholders whose shares are lodged with the Philippine Depository Inc. through PCD Nominee Corp., which, in turn, holds the shares traded through various trading participants or stockbrokers.