PLDT, Globe interconnection problems worsen

The interconnection issues between Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Globe Telecom Inc. has spread to several areas in Northern Luzon, with Globe saying that PLDT is experiencing outages in the region.

“As a result, Globe landline customers will not be able to make calls to PLDT in La Union, Baguio, Tarlac, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Nueva Ecija,” Globe said in a statement.

The company said it is coordinating with PLDT to restore the points of interconnections.

Globe earlier asked the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to intervene as, it said, only 11 out of the 32 candidate areas for local interconnection have been accommodated by PLDT for activation.

“Local interconnection with PLDT has been pending for years now despite orders from the NTC and public inconvenience. Such inaction and neglect of NTC rules by PLDT betray their apparent lack of serious regard for the mandatory character of interconnection to the detriment of public service,”  said Globe head of National Carrier Relations Division Melvin Santos in a letter to NTC commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba.

The NTC had ordered the two telcos to fast-track the implementation of network interconnection to provide subscribers and business establishments with more efficient and affordable telecommunication services.

Republic Act No. 7925 requires authorized public telecommunications carriers to interconnect to create a universally accessible and integrated nationwide network to encourage more infrastructure investments from the private sector that would benefit consumers.

PLDT activated nine of the 32 candidate areas: Davao City, La Union, Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, Quezon, and Zamboanga City. It activated another two areas—Tarlac and General Santos City/South Cotabato—last year.

PLDT earlier said it is working on its interconnection issues with Globe, but at the same time is completing the migration of Digitel's landline subscribers in its franchise areas in Luzon to PLDT.

“This program is a matter of great urgency for us because we need to ensure that Digitel subscribers will not suffer outages as a result of equipment failures. PLDT must obviously give this program the highest priority in terms of its manpower and resources,” said PLDT spokesperson Ramon Isberto.

PLDT acquired Digital Telecommunications Philippines (Digitel) in 2011 in one of the largest share-swap deals in the country at P72 billion. — BM, GMA News