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ntc orders smart to hold expiry dates on free sms, airtime by erwin oliva inquirer.net last updated 01:23am (mla time) 01/24/2007 the national telecommunications commission (ntc) has ordered smart communications (smart) and the pilipino telephone corp. (piltel) to temporarily stop imposing expiry dates on free short messaging service (sms) allocations and free airtime load, an official told inquirer.net monday. this was following a complaint from consumer group txtpower filed on january 12, 2007. "in order to give time for txtpower to argue its objections and smart and piltel to respond to the objections and more importantly not to adversely affect the existing users with accumulated free texts, the commission hereby directs smart and piltel to hold in abeyance the implementation of the expiration of free sms together with the airtime on all e-load and regular top-up transactions until further orders from the commission," according to a copy of ntc chairman abraham abesamis' letter dated january 15, 2007 to enrico espanol of the legal and regulatory department of smart communications and piltel. the expiration of free sms and airtime on all electronic loads and regular top-up transactions became effective january 15, 2007, according to txtpower's complaint, a copy of which was obtained by inquirer.net. ntc deputy chairman jorge sarmiento confirmed that the regulatory agency has already sent its letter to the mobile operators last week. meanwhile, txtpower spokesperson ian anthony cruz said they have not received any word from the ntc regarding their complaint. officials of smart and piltel were also unavailable for comment as of this writing. txtpower has pointed out that the imposition expiry dates "violates the right of smart and piltel subscribers to make full use of the value of the prepaid load they buy from both companies." "the value of any prepaid load bought by subscribers includes these so-called free text allocations and free airtime. smart and piltel must respect the manner by which subscribers opt to use their prepaid load, including the free text allocations and free airtime," the group said. the consumer group argued that the local operator's new policy was a "sore thumb" in an industry that is moving towards bulk pricing. "if left unchecked, the similar plans of smart and piltel will adversely affect millions of subscribers, considering that these two companies operate the largest wireless network used by most number of mobile telephony users," it said. the group also said smart and piltel's advertisement of the new policy was not enough to "adequately inform all their respective prepaid subscribers." "their january 8, 2007 announcements were small and plain, compared to their usual advertisements that are whole page or multi-page and in full color. if the objective of the latter is to attract attention, the former seems to aim to be

ignored. we denounce such disrespect for the basic consumer right to information," it added. txtpower is a consumer advocacy group founded in august 2001. its objectives include protecting and asserting the rights and welfare of consumers and end-users of telecommunication services.