A BILL amending Republic Act 7925, or the Philippine Competition Act, intended to ease entry of more telecommunication companies by increasing the government’s powers to allocate radio frequency, has been filed at the House of Representatives.
House Bill no. 8134, written by Quirino Rep. Dakila Carlo E. Cua, also seeks to impose punitive spectrum user fees (SUFs) on telecommunications firms underutilizing their frequency assets.
“Here in the Philippines, majority of the frequencies are assigned to two players and the companies under their control. They have been granted more than enough frequency but have failed to provide satisfactory service to Filipinos,” Mr. Cua said in a statement, Wednesday.
He said that a new entrant will need the frequency from various bands to provide competitive services.
The bill proposes to authorize the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to claw back or recall assigned spectrum that was left unused or underutilized.
The legislator also proposed a P2-billion appropriation for the NTC to upgrade its ability to measure frequency usage.
Entities holding licensed frequencies will also be charged double the SUF on assigned frequency that were left unused or underutilized.
The measures is intended to deter entities from “hoarding” frequency.
“By breaking the control of the two players over the country’s frequencies, we increase competition and welcome new players. We expect that this will result in improved service quality, faster Internet speeds and lower prices,” Mr. Cua said. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
