Consumer advocacy group TXTPower scored a victory over telecom giants Smart Communications and Pilipino Telephone Corp. after the National Telecommunications Commission ordered the two firms to suspend plans to “forcibly expire” free text allocations and free airtime load to subscribers.

Smart and Piltel, operator of the Talk N Text brand, run the nation’s largest network and have the biggest number of subscribers among all networks.

“This is a victory for consumers sick and tired of big companies’ daily acts of abuse and disrespect,” said TXTPower spokesperson Anthony Ian Cruz. “The NTC should make their order permanent since we there’s no rhyme or reason in the plan of Smart and Piltel.”

In a letter dated January 22, NTC Commissioner Abraham Abesamis wrote TXTPower’s Cruz that government regulators have directed “Smart and Piltel to hold in abeyance the implementation of the expiration of free SMS together with the airtime on all e-load and regular top-up transactions until further orders from the Commission effective 15
January 2007.” Continue reading

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
BIR Road, East Triangle, Diliman, Quezon City

January 22, 2007

ANTHONY IAN M. CRUZ
Spokesperson
TXTPower

Dear Mr. Cruz:

This refers to your letter requesting the Commission to stop Piltel and Smart from implementing the expiration of free SMS together with the airtime on all e-load and regular top-up transactions effective 15 January 2007.

Please be informed that the Commission has directed Smart and Piltel to hold in abeyance the implementation of the expiration of free SMS together with the airtime on all e-load and regular top-up transactions until further orders from the Commission effective 15 January 2007. Copy of the letter to Smart and Piltel is attached for your perusal.

Thank you very much.

Very truly yours.
(Sgd.) ABRAHAM ABESAMIS
Commisioner

January 12, 2007

The Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners
National Telecommunications Commission
BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City

RE: URGENT REQUEST TO STOP PILTEL AND SMART FROM IMPOSING EXPIRY DATES ON FREE TEXT ALLOCATIONS AND FREE AIRTIME LOAD STARTING JANUARY 15, 2007

Dear Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners:

We are co-convenors of TXTPower, a consumer advocacy group founded in August 2001, with the goal of protecting and asserting the rights and welfare of consumers and end-users of telecommunication services.

We are writing to respectfully request the Commission to stop Pilipino Telephone Corporation (Piltel) and Smart Communications (Smart) from implementing on January 15, 2007 the contents of their advertisements that were published in the Manila Bulletin and Philippine Daily
Inquirer, respectively, on January 8, 2007. Continue reading