Citing multiple complaints, the National Telecommunications Commission is finally taking a closer look into the “Fair Use Policy“/data cap issue (see above for a scanned copy of the letter). However it looks like there will only be minimal changes to the current situation because in an interview with ABS-CBN News Online, the NTC stated the following:
- Telcos are free to impose data caps but they need to be informed of the limitations before subscribing to the service.
- Data cap does not interfere with “Unlimited Data Promotion” because the service is not terminated.
We respectfully disagree with the second point, especially since the quality of service that you get is really not that useable anymore and therefore should not be considered or called “Unlimited” anymore. It’s a deceptive industry practice that needs to be stopped. Secondly, we understand that data caps are a necessity but we would like to stress that there should be a transition plan since affected subscribers are already locked-in to their contracts.
Globe, through their Corporate Communications Head Yoly Crisanto, said that “We want to protect the majority of subscribers who regularly use the network for work or leisure and allow them to enjoy a great data experience.”
Smart has not issued any statements.