To Telco giants: Make cheap promo call rates permanent

MessagePRESS RELEASE
January 10, 2006


Consumer Group TXTPOWER Challenges Telco Giants: Make cheap promo call
rates permanent and standard


Citing the capacity of cellphone service providers to offer cheap per
minute call rates in their promotions, the consumer advocacy group
TXTPower seeks to make these rates permanent and standard over all networks.



"With Smart's FLAT RATE, Globe's CELEBRATE, Sun's UNLIMITED promos,
these telcos have shown consumers that cheap calls and text is possible
and in fact profitable for the companies," said Trixie Concepcion,
TXTPower convenor and AGHAM secretary general.



With the Philippines tagged as one of the fastest growing cellphone
markets and with nearly 30 million mobile phone user base, lowering of
call rates can make calls as popular as text messaging.



"Making these promo rates permanent can lower telecommunications costs
unlike the trend of high and rising cost of other utilities. This can
be a big help to the Filipino people this new year", Concepcion
explained. "In fact, some telcos have shown that they can charge calls by the
second which can optimize the load that cell phone users have. This
should be a standard over all networks."



"In addition, unsolicited (spam) text messages, network congestion,
dropped calls, failed message-sending, delayed message receipt and
difficulties in loading prepaid accounts should be addressed by these
companies to make their services reliable and accessible", added Concepcion.



"We call on the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and the
government to make telcos lower their rates and provide cheap and
accessible services. It is high time that they act to put the interests of
these consumers over the large rate of profit these telcos are enjoying
amid the rising cost of almost all services and goods needed by the
consuming public," concluded Concepcion.###