Many of our friends still don’t know about our boycott and our protests to compel Globe to rollback the unlimited texting rates of P15, P25 and P50 for one, two and five days.

Ang kalaban natin ngayon ay lack of information, disinformation, misinformation. If we all forget, we will be surrendering our rights. But if we spread the good news of fighting for our consumer rights, that’s a big help in achieving victory.

We thus urge all of you to HELP SPREAD THE NEWS by doing any of the following:

1. PM all your friends on Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger, AIM, GTalk and other IMs to “FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS AS CONSUMERS! FIGHT FOR UNLIMITXT ROLLBACK! GO TO TXTPOWER.ORG TO SIGN PETITION. AND DON’T FORGET TO BOYCOTT GLOBE.” Pinoy IRC channel moderators are usually supportive of posting such a pro-consumer message on their channels.

2. Whether you are a Globe, Smart or Sun subscriber, send the same message to all your phonebook contacts. If you’re on Unlitxt, 258 or 24/7: text all your friends on the same network. Smart and Sun subscribers are consumers too, and they deserve to know what Globe is doing.

3. Copy, paste and email the “Boycott Globe!” statement and the link to the online petition to all your friends. Nearly 5,000 have signed the petition, and we are sure more will do the same if they get information about it.

4. Add or make “Boycott Globe! Sign petition for Unlimitxt rollback at protest banner on your MySpace and Friendster pages, and your blogs.

6. If you’re a blogger, blog about our campaign. Feel free to quote TXTPower statement.

7. If you’re a blog reader, ask your favorite blogger to use our campaign as a topic.

8. Call radio stations and write letters to the newspaper editors about the issue, and why consumers’ right are important. If you’re a student, ask the editor of your student paper to publish our “Boycott Globe!” statement.

9. Wait for the final announcement on what we will do on Feb. 14, the next meeting called by the NTC in the agency’s attempt to amicably settle the dispute. We will have a different kind of event on that date that, hopefully, you will join and enjoy. Of course, we ask you now in advance to spread the news about our Feb. 14 event as soon as the final details are in.

Salamat po!

TXTPower convenors Anthony Ian Cruz, Trixie Concepcion, Ana Gabriela Celestial and Raymond Palatino went to the National Telecommunications Commission today in what was supposed to be a public hearing on the consumer group’s complaint against Globe’s price hike for unlimited texting.

The hearing did not push through as scheduled. NTC Commissioner Abraham Abesamis instead announced that the Commission will attempt to settle the issues amicably between Globe and TXTPower. If the attempt fails, the hearings will then proceed.

Thus, in separate, closed-door meetings with Globe lawyers and TXTPower convenors, NTC sought talking points from both parties.

In the close-door meeting, TXTPower convenors offered this reasonable, minimum demand: That Globe restore the previous rates of P15 for one day, P25 for two days, and P50 for five days alongside the P15 Daytime, P10 Night Time and the other new choices. The old rates should replace the P20, P40 and P80 for one, two and four days, respectively. If Globe agrees with this demand, we will immediately withdraw the complaint and lift the boycott.

The NTC immediately informed Globe lawyers about our minimum demand.

The NTC, Globe and TXTPower have agreed to meet again on Feb. 14. We hope Globe accepts our suggestion as a show of good faith and respect for their subscribers. Besides, the old rates helped make Globe P11.8-billion richer in 2006.

In the meantime, we wish to point out that the nation is waiting for the NTC to enforce its orders against Globe in accordance with its mandate and powers.

What should we do now?

On Feb. 14, we invite you a special Valentines Day event at the NTC. Details will be announced later.

Folks, the fight is not yet over. We must continue to fight until we get the respect consumers deserve to get from Globe and the NTC.

TXTPower
http://www.txtpower.org
February 9. 2007

(Please copy, paste and forward to everyone in your network.)

The National Telecommunications Commission will conduct a public hearing tomorrow Feb. 9, Friday, 2:00 pm at the NTC office in Quezon City on the complaint filed by TXTPower against Globe Telecom’s unlimited texting price increase.

The Commission will hear TXTPower’s arguments and Globe’s reaction.

TXTPower is inviting Globe subscribers to attend the public hearing. Please wear something red.

Those who cannot go to the NTC, please make sure to sign the online petition.

The NTC is located along BIR Road near the corner of East Avenue. Nearby landmarks are the Bangko Sentral. SSS, NSO and BIR.