PLDT promo to trim phone service rates by half

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Posted: 1:34 AM | May 25, 2006
Daxim L. Lucas
Inquirer

MONTHLY rates for residential phone lines may be slashed by over 50 percent after telecommunications regulators approved a new promo proposed by Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT).

In a letter to the telecom giant, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) approved PLDT's "Economy Plans" scheme, which will charge a monthly fee of as low as P300 for residential users for an "Economy Plan 1" option.

The rate represents a sharp discount over the company's existing standard rate for residential subscribers, which starts at P700 a month.

The commission "interposes no objection to implementing the new offerings," NTC Chairman Ronald Solis said in a letter to PLDT, specifying only that the service must be offered on an optional or voluntary basis and that the mechanics, features and rates of the promo be published before it is implemented.

For an additional P400 a month, the residential user may also get a subscriber data line that will give access to the Internet via the same phone line.

The bundled telephone and Internet service, assuming a P700 monthly charge, will also be cheaper than PLDT's existing promo, which offers the same service at over P800 a month.

An "Economy Plan 2" package offers residential users a phone line at P488 a month and to business users for P888 a month. Internet access under this scheme is pegged at P200 a month.

The NTC also approved PLDT's petition to levy a toll access feature charge of P5 a call on top of regular toll charges for the domestic or international long distance calls made under the Economy Plans.

The regulator pointed out, however, that the voice access charge was subject to foreign currency adjustments using approved base rates and reference foreign exchange rates, while all quoted rates exclude value-added tax levies from the government.

Finally, the NTC ruled that clients subscribing to the new Economy Plans were barred from enjoying further discounts from the company.

"Customers who avail of the Economy Plans will not be eligible for subscription to the existing P10 per call unlimited PLDT-to-PLDT NDD offer and all other reduced toll packages to be offered in the future," Solis said in the letter. With INQ7.net