Text overcharging

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), the government agency tasked to regulate the telecommunications industry in the Philippines has set the price ceiling of one text message sent in the Philippines at 0.80 Php since late last year (2011). All telecommunications companies, specifically Smart Communications, Globe Telecoms, and Sun Cellular, are ordered to follow this price ceiling. But to this day, this order has been ignored. As a consequence the NTC is now ordering that a refund be given to the consumers.

I will not go into the boring details of how the NTC came up with the price of 0.80 Php per text, which I think is still too expensive by the way, let me just say that the NTC is the government regulatory body. How dare these telecom companies ignore an order by the government. These companies are above and beyond the control of government?

Globe came up with a statement in the media that basically argued that the telecoms industry is a "free market therefore they are free to set whatever price they want". Okay Globe, you have a point. It is indeed a free market. And you have the right to set the price as high as you want. But oh wait, you are using the airspace in the Philippines? That belongs to the state -- the people if you will. Applying the same free market principle on you, we, the, the people, have decided to raise your rent of that airspace by 1,000 percent. Take it or leave it. You will not be missed.

As for the NTC, if you can not regulate these companies, then you have ceased being relevant. How dare you take your salaries when you can not do your job? You have only one job. If you can not do it, then please abolish yourselves and stop taking salaries.

 Enough of this drama and just give me my refund!

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UPDATE:

Saw this on this news again yesterday, 8 May 2014. I noticed that this was posted originally on 20 November 2012. So the Telcos somehow managed to ignore the NTC for more than a year without consequence! Wow. Either crack the whip or abolish yourselves NTC -- you useless piece of drain on taxpayer's money. Stop taking your salary if you can not do your job. As of  the news yesterday, the spokespersons of these Telcos are still saying they are going "study" the memo once they receive it.