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Sunday, August 20, 2006
Clamor to look into ‘bothersome’, delayed text messages snowballs
By Rimaliza Opiña
BAGUIO City Councilor Daniel Fariñas has joined the clamor to investigate unnecessary messages sent by telecommunications networks to cellphone subscribers.
Fariñas also wants an inquiry on the delayed relay and receipt of text messages with some text messages not received at all.
"Some cellphone companies, without the knowledge and consent of its subscribers, charge messages, ring tones and other promos sent," the councilor said in a proposed resolution, stressing that such schemes used by some network providers are highly irregular.
Sun.Star earlier reported that the unsolicited text messages sent by Smart Communications Inc., prompted Benguet Provincial Board (PB) Member Juan Nazarro to call for an inquiry into the company's promotional schemes.
In a privilege speech delivered last August 7, Nazarro said it is high time that Smart be investigated to protect the interest of millions of subscribers.
Smart deducts P2.50 for every logo and message its sends to a subscriber.
Despite an assurance from Smart personnel that he would no longer receive unnecessary messages from the network, Nazarro said he continues to receive messages from the numbers 239 and 235.
"I believe that these acts are highly irregular and should be investigated. If it is true that charges are being shouldered by cellular phone users, I believe that we are being cheated. Considering the number of subscribers, there is a possibility that these entities are stealing billions of pesos from the users," he stressed.
The PB, meanwhile, scheduled a dialogue with officials from Smart, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) Company on August 24 to thresh out the issue.
(August 20, 2006 issue)
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