NTC, KBP, 4 cellphone operators unite vs text messaging pranksters

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas (KBP) and the four local digital mobile phone operators have agreed to provide advisories to the majority if not all text messaging users whenever false news is circulated via the phone.

Text messaging is one of the most popular features of cellular phones using the global system for mobile communications (GSM) technology. It allows users to send and receive text messages to each other.

The advisory is one way of preventing bogus information, which have political, social and economic implications, from spreading and causing havoc as in the case of a recent bank run, said NTC Commissioner Joseph Santiago.

At the same time, he said that cellular companies will be asked to provide a three-digit calling number which their subscribers can call to verify the veracity of text messages received.

On the part of the operator, Santiago said that they can check the reports from the news center of any KBP member station which are fed with regular news updates from all over the world.

"We (NTC, KBP and the operators) have agreed on the concept already. Hopefully, the memorandum of agreement (MOA) will be signed this week or the next," he said.

Another way to combat the proliferation of prank text messages is to register all SIM (subscriber identification module) cards, including the prepaid ones.

SIM cards, which are required in all GSM handsets, contain all information about phone usage.

"We're thinking about the registration of SIM cards with the NTC, not for anything. We don't want to eavesdrop. We just want to know the identity of the customer. We won't violate the rights of the subscriber to privacy of communications," he said.

As to suggestions that companies should increase the amount paid for text messages to discourage abuse of the service, Santiago said the NTC is not very keen on the idea.

"If you increase the cost (of SMS), you are limiting access to technology which is otherwise, very affordable. Our quandary is if we try to regulate or restrict text messaging, with the entry of new technologies, where cellular is a powerful tool, there will be more problems. When you cannot discipline the Filipinos on basic data transmission over the cellular, how much more with the other services?," he explained.

Earlier, Globe Telecom and Isla Communications Co. (Islacom) of the Ayala Corp. and Smart Communications Inc. and Pilipino Telephone Corp. (Piltel), subsidiaries of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) bonded together to call for responsible use of text messaging.

"Modern communications tools like text messaging should be used for legitimate and productive purposes and certainly not for mischief that is done at the expense of others," the group said.