Cell-phone sellers reminded to list up with NTC or face raps

THE estimated 10,000 to 15,000 cellular phone dealers and about 5,000 to 10,000 cellphone repair shops in Metro Manila have again been warned by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) they will be penalized if they have not registered with the NTC.
       These establishments have to pay a filing fee of P180, a permit fee of P1,200, and an inspection fee of P720. The NTC permit is valid for a year and must be renewed annually.
       NTC commissioner Ronald Solis said a joint operation with the police will be conducted against unlicensed cell phone dealers, suppliers, retailers, service center and those engaged in the selling of undocumented mobile phones.
       A business establishment without the necessary permits and licenses from the NTC faces a fine of P5,000 and possible shutdown.
       The commission is trying to curb repair and service of units coming from unauthorized or illegal sources, illegal installation of software, alterations of serial numbers, unblocking of SIM cards, and the widespread illegal purchase of handsets acquired from illegal sources.
       “There will be a crackdown on these establishments. We will be strictly imposing the law. We advised all unlicensed cell phone dealers and retailers to go now to the nearest NTC offices and secure the necessary permits,” said Solis.
       Purchase and sale of mobile phones without NTC permits acceptance carry a P5,000 fine for every violation, and illegal importation of handsets are fined P5,000 for every violation also, while unauthorized servicing is penalized with P5,000 fine per unit.
       Pawnshops will be considered cell phone retailers if they engage in the sale of second-hand phones. Stolen phones are usually pawned by the thieves. Last month, the NTC and the National Police entered into a memorandum of agreement to cooperate in the fight against illegal cell phone transactions including text scams.
       Seized handsets, if stolen, will be turned over to the NTC for checking of its source and possibly the identity of the owner. “In cases whe wre a mobile phone unit’s ownership can be ascertained, it shall be immediately released to the claimant upon showing proof of ownership. If the unit is a piece of evidence in a pending criminal case, release shall only be made upon termination thereof or as may be ordered by the Court.”
       The serial number and description of the cellular phones in the NTC’s custody and those turned over or recovered by the police will be published in newspapers. The NTC will also disseminate guides for a subscriber to follow when buying a second-hand phones, as well as how to report or claim a lost or stolen handset.
       All suppliers, dealers and retailers are now required to keep records of the source of second-hand phones, such as the name, address of the seller, and model of the cellular phone.
       In 2003, the NTC launched the Text 682 anti-phone theft service where victims can report their stolen handsets by texting the International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) number and Pin code of their lost units to NTC 682. L. Lectura