Globe Telecom to establish more interconnection deals

CEBU, Philippines – Globe Telecom is set to pursue more interconnection agreements with rival telecommunication firms, specifically outside of the National Capital Region.

Through Republic Act 7925, an act to promote and govern the development of Philippine communications and the delivery of public telecommunications services, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) requires telecom firms to pursue inter-connection agreements with competing players.

With this, Globe announced that it is going to strengthen its move to ink more inter-connection agreements with rival phone firms as part of the efforts to reach out to more subscribers, to increase the affordability of communications, and to spur development in key growth areas outside the National Capital Region.

NTC mandates compulsory interconnection of authorized public telecommunications carriers under Republic Act 7925. This aims to create a universally accessible and fully integrated nationwide telecommunications network to encourage more infrastructure investments from the private sector that benefit consumers.

Meanwhile, the NTC regional office in Central Visayas urged telecommunication companies here to work harder in attracting people to subscribe in landline telephone service, as only 50 percent of the total available lines in Cebu province is currently being subscribed.

NTC-7 officer-in-charge Jesus Laureno told The FREEMAN in an interview that the existence of cellular phone and attractive promotions offered by telecom companies for free and unlimited calls affected the landline telephone take-up in the province.

He said that there are close to 500 thousand available landlines only provided for by two telecom giants Globe Telecom and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT).

Globe has about 350 thousand available landlines, while PLDT has a little over 100 thousand. These available lines are only 50 percent subscribed.

The growth of landline subscription take up has not improved significantly in the province, since the cellular phone trend had started, Laureno said.

However, because of the broadband service which telecom companies are packaging with landline service, the take up of landline telephone subscription has slowly improved. (FREEMAN)