Saturday, July 07, 2007 Telco fulfills NTC pact, activates SIMs
SMART Communications Inc. (Smart) announced that it has taken steps to address the concerns of some of its sub-dealers who had been affected by the refusal of a Cebu City-based major dealer to fulfill its contractual obligations regarding the expiration of airtime loads.
Smart has activated all sub-dealer SIMs of sub-dealers who have complied with the requirements for re-activation, in line with the recent agreement made before the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) 7 office in Cebu City.
Smart said that it will activate remaining sub-dealer SIMs upon presentation by sub-dealers concerned of the required documents. These sub-dealers will then be able to consume the E-Loads, in accordance with existing industry practices.
Lawyer Rogelio Que-vedo, group head of Smart’s Regulatory Management Office, assured sub-dealers of Smart’s commitment to protect their interest.
Remaining e-loads
He said Smart will ensure that sub-dealers are able to dispose of the remaining e-loads in their SIMs upon activation.
“The sub-dealers are Smart’s paramount concern in this issue,” he added.
Smart agreed to re-activate the sub-dealer SIMS of the sub-dealers during a conference called last June 28 by the NTC 7 over an administrative complaint lodged by Integrated Distribution Network Inc. (IDNI) against the telecommunications company.
In the complaint lodged with the NTC, IDNI asked for the immediate return of the P14 million worth of electronic load, which was part of a separate commercial transaction between the distribution firm and Smart.
IDNI has also filed a separate complaint for estafa and violation of Republic Act 8484 (Access Device Regulation Act of 1998) against four Smart officials with the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office, alleging that Smart captured P14 million worth of electronic load which it claimed was already paid for.
Smart said IDNI’s accusations were baseless.
Quevedo said it was IDNI’s obligation to inform the sub-dealers that the e-loads have expiration dates. But, he said, IDNI failed to do this.
He said that because Smart values the sub-dealers, it immediately decided to re-activate their sub-dealer SIMs after the sub-dealers comply with the necessary requirements. (PR)
