STARTING today, cell phone users will only pay 80 centavos per text message as the country’s three telecommunication companies have agreed to lower their rates, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) announced on Tuesday.
Under their old rates, telecommunications companies charged consumers P1 per text message.
“They furnished us a letter informing us that the new SMS access charge will take effect on their respective networks effective November 30,” NTC Deputy Commissioner Delilah Deles told reporters, referring to Smart Communications, Globe Telecom and Sun Cellular.
The NTC earlier issued Memorandum Circular 02-10-2011 reducing the maximum interconnection charge for SMS between two separate networks from the existing 35 centavos per text message to 15 centavos.
This circular directed SMS network providers to ensure that they have adequate facilities to guarantee that 99 percent of text messages reach their destination within 30 seconds from the time these are sent.
“Each of the networks involved in the interconnection should provide the interconnection links or circuits required to efficiently and effectively handle their respective SMS traffic,” it said.
Networks are thus required to ensure that adequate termination equipment are in place to quickly connect the interconnection links and circuits to their respective networks.
According to the NTC, the promulgation of the new SMS interconnection rate is in line with a provision found in Republic Act 7925, or the Public Telecommunications Policy Act of the Philippines, which seeks the establishment of fair and reasonable interconnection among public operators and other telecommunications services providers at reasonable and fair cost.
Under their old rates, telecommunications companies charged consumers P1 per text message.
“They furnished us a letter informing us that the new SMS access charge will take effect on their respective networks effective November 30,” NTC Deputy Commissioner Delilah Deles told reporters, referring to Smart Communications, Globe Telecom and Sun Cellular.
The NTC earlier issued Memorandum Circular 02-10-2011 reducing the maximum interconnection charge for SMS between two separate networks from the existing 35 centavos per text message to 15 centavos.
This circular directed SMS network providers to ensure that they have adequate facilities to guarantee that 99 percent of text messages reach their destination within 30 seconds from the time these are sent.
“Each of the networks involved in the interconnection should provide the interconnection links or circuits required to efficiently and effectively handle their respective SMS traffic,” it said.
Networks are thus required to ensure that adequate termination equipment are in place to quickly connect the interconnection links and circuits to their respective networks.
According to the NTC, the promulgation of the new SMS interconnection rate is in line with a provision found in Republic Act 7925, or the Public Telecommunications Policy Act of the Philippines, which seeks the establishment of fair and reasonable interconnection among public operators and other telecommunications services providers at reasonable and fair cost.
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