Category: Consumer Rights

TXTPower hits NTC, telcos over suspension of “unlimited” services

As TXTPower president, I am issuing the following statement regarding the suspension of “unlimited” promos during the holidays:

Network abuse!

The National Telecommunications Commission has chosen to side with Smart and Globe in the pathetic attempt to justify the suspension of “unlimited” texting and calling during the holidays. In so doing, the NTC is ensuring that only the telcos are merry this Christmas and happy this New Year.

For consumers, this is a classic case of network abuse – abuse by the network themselves – and abetted by what should have been the government regulator.

What is clear is that the NTC and the telcos denied the public last Christmas and will again deny this New Year’s Day the opportunity to avail of the cheapest call and text rates especially during the most joyful holiday dates. Lest we forget, this is the first time that “unlimited” services were suspended during the holidays.

On the other hand, the telcos cash in on the exchange of holiday greetings that are paid for using the regular and more expensive rates.

Continue reading →

TXTPower, TEA joint presscon text and video report on Inquirer.net

Inquirer.net has published a news story as well as a video report (embedded below) regarding the joint TXTPower-Telco Entrepreneurs Association press conference held this morning in Quezon City.

Here is the first part of the story filed by Inquirer.net reporter Thea Alberto:

Continue reading →

TXTPower joins Smart E-Load dealers in presscon

I joined leaders of the Telco Entrepreneurs Association today in a press conference at Quezon City. We sought to inform the media and the public about a plan of Smart Communications to “fire” thousands of E-Load dealers by the end of this month.

Yes, folks, Smart now wants to get rid of the thousands of dealers who helped make their company No. 1 by bringing “retail” prepaid load to the masses.

Continue reading →

PLDT’s myDSL service: F%$k3d Up!

This afternoon, the DSL connection at our house just went kaput. I performed some “tricks” — known to all PLDT myDSL subscribers who have experienced problems and sought technical assistance. You know the drill: ipconfig /release and /renew. Resetting the modem. In my case, also resetting the router. I did all those plenty of times, knowing fully well that my computer and house connections may be the culprit.

But after several frustrating tries, I called up PLDT’s so-called customer service.

Continue reading →

Poor Filipinos pay 90 percent of VAT collections

President Arroyo claims that more than 80 percent of VAT revenues are paid by the rick and at the same time, it is the poor that benefit from the onerous, regressive tax.

Bulatlat has a story contradicting this claim, quoting heavily from an expert whose study of government data has showed the exact opposite. Blogger/electrical engineer/activist Monram lighted the way for the Bulatlat report.

Continue reading →

TXTPower in the news over Arroyo’s 50-centavo text gimmick

Here are news items published since Tuesday, regarding TXTPower’s views on President Arroyo’s claim that she has lowered text rates to a mere 50 centavos:

Malacanang admits trying to fool people over P0.50 text rate, says TXTPower

The President’s Office of the Press Secretary today faxed to media outlets copies of letters/statements from Smart, Globe and Sun about the P0.50 text rate announced by the President.

In response, TXTPower issued the following statement:

Today, Malacanang indirectly admitted that President Arroyo deliberately lied to the public in her SONA speech when she announced the alleged new P0.50 price of text messaging.

Malacanang’s press office today released separate statements coming from Smart, Globe and Sun that separately say that the P0.50 price announced by the President is ONLY A PROMO OR A GIMMICK.

Availing of the P0.50 promo price is not instant. One has to register first and pay at least P20 to avail of this supposedly lower price. Why should we be made to pay P20 first? Where is the savings there? The whole set-up defeats the purpose of easing the burden of telecommunication costs.

Continue reading →

GMA’s 50 centavos per text: Arbitrary, still expensive

TXTPower released the following statement regarding the new promo price of P0.50 per text message announced yesterday by President Arroyo in her speech before Congress:

The economist Mrs. Arroyo is trying to cheat the public over the so-called 50 percent reduction in texting rates which she pompously announced in her eighth State of the Nation Address yesterday, according to consumer group TXTPower.

“The truth is, text messages may already cost less than 50 centavos. The forward march of mobile technology and the gigantic profit rates for the past years have lowered the cost of sending text messages to absurdly low levels, far lower than P0.50,” said TXTPower president Anthony Ian Cruz.

Cruz said that “the setting of a price of P1.00 before and P0.50 now, upon the request of Mrs. Arroyo, is obviously arbitrary and does not reflect the real cost of texting.”

Continue reading →