DTI, NTC looking into ‘unlimited’ data plans

 

Due to the popularity of spreading the holiday cheer through instant messaging apps, the Department of Trade and Industry and National Telecommunications Commission are scrutinizing unlimited data plans that do not actually offer unlimited net services.

 

"Fair Use Policy (FUP) creates a misnomer out of unlimited internet service, thereby a misleading or deceptive conduct," the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office for Competition said in an advisory on GMA News TV's "Balitanghali" Saturday.

 

"If it will only be constrained to a certain limit or cap, the service should have been promoted as a consumable package, and not as an unlimited plan," it added.

 

However, NTC Director Edgardo Cabarios admitted that it has yet to decide on the penalty for those who violate the rule because "free internet" is just a concept.

 

"Hindi klaro sa batas 'yun... Even around the world, sa lahat ng bansa, there's no such thing as unlimited talaga. Nami-mislead yung consumers to believing na unlimited ay 'di naman kasi may kondisyones," Cabarios explained.

 

Yoly Crisanto, Globe Telecommunications SVP for corporate communications, said in a statement that the telco has "stopped unlidata this year" to provide their customers "a better experience".

 

High fees are not the only thing mobile data users are complaining about, as poor speeds continue to prove the country's reputation for having the slowest internet speeds among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

 

"Nagbabayad tapos hindi naman mabilis. Ako din, kagaya minsan nag-load ako nung nakaraan, parang nasasayang yung data ko kasi ang bagal sa umaga," said a frequent net user.

 

Another net user said, "bigla na lang magdi-disconnect. Biglang mawawala yung net."

 

Due to the increased internet usage, NTC said texting decreased from 2 billion texts per day in 2000 to half a billion in 2012.

 

"Ine-expect noon (December 2011) na mataas ang traffic (ng text) kasi Christmas season... Hindi yun dumating, kundi tumaas naman ang traffic sa social networking sites," said NTC Director Edgardo Cabarios in 2012. — Rie Takumi/JDS, GMA News