Telecom regulator to confiscate unused frequency bands

by M. E. Estavillo

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is set to confiscate unused and underutilized frequency bands awarded to telecommunication firms in the past.

NTC Commissioner Ronald O. Solis told reporters yesterday the agency is set to conduct "very soon" a thorough review of the frequency band allocation being issued to companies.

"It is a fact that some companies are not using the frequencies being allocated to them. Some of them are still paying the annual fees,but there are also some that are not paying at all," Mr. Solis said.

One of the companies with unused frequency band is Lopez-led Bayan Telecommunications, Inc. (BayanTel). BayanTel was given a license to operate as a mobile phone network three years ago but has not engaged in mobile phone business. Its subsidiary Express Telecommunications, Inc. (Extelcom) had been inactive with less than 200,000 subscribers.

More than the revenue contribution to the agency, Mr. Solis said NTC needs to free up unused frequency band to prepare for upcoming new telecom services.

"Some of these frequencies can be allocated for other services. These are services that can provide more important and more efficient services to the public," Mr. Solis said.

Last year, BayaTel said it would launch a cellular service by this year to avert possible confiscation of frequency bands. The service had been designed to complement BayanTel’s fixed-line infrastructure.

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NTC imposes weird regulations including siding with Meralco on the WiFI issue (it's already settled ...sort of). But at least they're doing their job. I'd like to commend them for that. I hope the SMS spam issue could be resolved soon. I just got one the other day.