Texters’ group formed to battle telecom monopolies, dubs Sept. 1 National Boycott Day
In a press conference at Mundial restaurant along Tomas Morato Avenue, a group of mobile phone users today launched TXTPOWER and issued a texters� declaration assailing the planned reduction in free text messages, lousy and expensive services and cartel operations of Smart Communications and Globe Telecoms.
TXTPOWER Spokesperson Anthony Ian Cruz said that texters are not at all happy over the cutbacks on free text for all Smart and Globe subscribers.
“This is the worst joke we�ve heard. Imagine, two firms pocketing combined revenues of at least P27 billion for the first half of 2001 alone are now claiming to be incurring huge losses,” Cruz said. “But what takes the cake are veiled threats of higher call and text rates if the free text cutbacks are not implemented.”
“How audacious and shameless can they be when Globe and Smart have yet to resolve festering complaints over delayed text messages, disappearing call card values, lousy services, weak signals and expensive call rates especially those imposed on prepaid subscribers. Ang kapal naman ng mukha ng Globe at Smart!,” Cruz added.
TXTPOWER also declared Sept. 1 as a “National Day of Boycott Against Greedy Telecom Companies” and asked all the 10 million subscribers of both firms not to use their mobile phones for a day.
“This will show anger over Smart and Globe�s greed for superprofits and their utter disregard of consumers� interests. But more importantly, we will show them that we are always ready to fight back,” said Cruz.
Cruz added that the group will ask Congress for an immediate probe on the operations of the two companies. “Separately, they gobbled up smaller and weaker telecom firms and made themselves monopolies. They charge the same costly rates and give the same lousy service. We, the consumers, are at the losing end of the bargain.”
Apart from the Sept. 1 boycott, the group will also circulate the Texters� Declaration and ask for signatures over email and text. Pickets at offices of Globe and Smart and other protest actions are now in the works.
The group�s convenors include activist writer Anthony Ian Cruz, student leader Raymond Palatino, athlete Sandra Araullo, radio broadcaster Ruth Cervantes, environmentalist Trixie Concepcion, net-activist Gerry Kaimo, college professor Roland Tolentino, campus journalist Rey Asis and visual artist Emil Mercado.
TxtPower is a group of mobile phone users who are up in arms over the reduction in free text messages, bad services and cartel operations of Globe and Smart. It is demanding swift government measures on the “unbridled monopoly operations of the two firms that are against the interest of millions of mobile phone users” including a halt to the planned cutbacks on free text allocations. ###
What texters can do
The Gospel According to TxtPower
1. Sign and circulate among your friends the Texters� Declaration
2. Join the National Day of Boycott Against Telecom Monopolies on Sept. 1. Don�t use your phones just for one day.
3. Join pickets at Smart and Globe centers on Aug. 31 (Details to be announced later)
4. Attend public hearings to be called by the House and Senate on the free text cutbacks, predatory pricing, lousy services and cartel operations of Globe and Smart.
5. Send messages and complaints to Globe and Smart.
Globe/Islacom
Email: custhelp@globetel.com.ph
Tel.: 211 (from cellphone) or 7301000 (from landline)
Fax: 7393002, 7302070
Smart
Tel.: *888 (from cellphone) or 8881111 (from landline)
Fax 5114190, 5114280
Talk N Text
Tel.: 15003 (from cellphone) or 8488888 (from landline)
Fax: 6374606
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