Sen Aquino calls NTC attention on Internet standards

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV called the attention of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for failure to fulfill its commitment to issue a circular on the quality of Internet standards.

Aquino recalled the NTC committed to come out with the memorandum circular in March during a hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship with respect to the speed of Internet in the country.

“Six months have passed since the NTC committed to come out with the memorandum circular but until now the agency has yet to deliver on its promise,” Aquino said.

Aquino said  he intends to raise the issue before the NTC when it appears before the Senate to defend its proposed budget for 2016.

“The NTC must provide a detailed and acceptable report on its recent moves to improve the country’s Internet connection service as the approval of their 2016 budget heavily depends on that,” said Aquino, who is one of the vice chairmen of the Committee on Finance.

The said memorandum circular would set the Internet quality service in the country, including the minimum speed for broadband and DSL connections.

Aquino, who heads the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, has led the hearings on the quality of Internet service in the country, which he said was not only expensive but also very slow.

While the two main issues remain, Aquino noted that the committee hearings have produced small victories that could help achieve a faster and cheaper connection.

For instance, the probe has encouraged telecommunication companies to embrace IP peering that would help speed up opening of websites.

The Department of Justice has also released guidelines against deceptive or misleading internet in print, TV and radio advertisements.