The National Telecommunications Commission is finally doing something about the numerous complaints of consumers about slow broadband speeds here in the Philippines. Hopefully within August Telcos will now have to put the guaranteed minimum speed of their internet services in their marketing collaterals. Now the focus won’t be on the ridiculous “Up to speeds” anymore. This is welcome news for me since I recently subscribed to a postpaid plan that promised up to 10mbps and I’ve yet to get half of that in the last 2 months. It’s really frustrating when you buy into something because of the product benefits highlighted in the marketing and then it ends up being something totally different than what you expected.
The circular goes on to say that the minimum speed should at least be 80% of the maximum. Here’s the exact quote:
The service offers shall specify the service rates for a minimum broadband/Internet connection speed and the service reliability. For example: a broadband service provider can offer P900.00/month for 512Kbps minimum connection speed and 80 percent service reliability, or P1,000.00/month for 512Kbps minimum connection speed and 85 percent service reliability, or P1,000/month for 1Mbps minimum connection speed and 80 percent reliability, etc.
And what if the telcos don’t comply? Administrative sanctions. I’m trying to look for the exact copy of the memorandum to read what exactly these “sanctions” are. For now though let me just give two thumbs up to NTC. After this order takes effect and I still don’t get 80% of the promised 10MBPS, I’m filling an official complaint.
Two thumbs up for NTC! I hope they would also remove the lock-in period of the telecommunications company to foster good service.
Keep up the good work National Telecommunications Commission!
It’s about time! i had been screaming about this in the cyberwilderness…esp about SKYbroadband’s rigged speedtest
Thumbs up… But NTC should also look in anti-consumer stuff in ISP contracts, and on top, but this will never happen.. regulate the way telecom cables are put… Where I live, we have a jungle of cables going ewverywhere… So much for guaranteing the speed