Consumer groups on Friday urged the National
Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to compel network providers Smart, Globe
and Sun Cellular to immediately return the 7.6 billion pesos (US$1.75 billion)
overcharge in SMS (short message service or texting) to their subscribers.
“Telcos
are arguing that it would be difficult to track whom to give the refund to. Why
not just give everyone a refund? We demand an immediate refund of 89 pesos
($2.05) per SIM cardholder on all networks,” TxTPower spokesperson MacYanto
said.
Members
of Agham and Bayan Metro Manila joined Friday’s protest in front of the NTC
compound on BIR Road, Quezon City, bearing placards shaped as cell phones and
tablets with the hashtag "smsrefundnow".
The 7.6
billion pesos ($1.75 billion) was based on the NTC estimate that telcos earn 8
million pesos ($1.84 billion) a day. There are 106.5 million mobile subscribers
as of 2013.
In a
2011 memorandum, the NTC asked the telcos to refund 20 centavos for every peso
($0.02) charged for SMS sent to other networks.
The
telcos have a pending appeal at the Court of Appeals.
Bayan
Muna representative Neri Colmenares said NTC should enforce its memorandum
despite the appeal.
“Under
the rules of court, any decision of a quasijudicial body is executory even if
under appeal,” he said.
“If the
telcos win the case, they could recover it. It wouldn’t be hard to collect
since they have a captive market,” Colmenares said.
Erika
Sauler
Business & Investment Opportunities
Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd (SBC) is incorporated
in Singapore since 1994.
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