Pursuant to MC 05-08-2005 (Voice Over Internet Protocol), the National Telecommunications Commission (Commission) hereby issues the following guidelines for the registration of VoIP service providers.

1. A VOIP Service Provider shall refer to a person or entity providing VoIP services to the public, directly, or through resellers, for compensation. Any person or entity that intends to derive or source VOIP from a duly registered VOIP provider under an agreement to resell the service directly to retail end-user customers, shall register with the Commission as a Reseller.

2. Entities intending to register as a VoIP service provider are required to submit/pay the following documents/fees, in addition to those required to be submitted/paid for VAS registration:

a. Certified true copy of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Registration or Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Registration showing, among others, that the entity is at least sixty percent (60%) owned by Filipino citizens, and that the paid up capital is at least ten million pesos (P10,000,000.00);

b. Valid facilities/network lease agreement with duly authorized facilities/network providers;

c. Valid interconnection agreements with duly authorized access facilities/network providers, such as the local exchange network, cellular mobile network, trunk radio network, broadband access network, etc., where applicable under Section 4 of MC 05-08-2005; and

d. List of cities and municipalities where the VoIP service will be offered;

e. Filing Fee: Php 180.00;

f. Registration Fee: PhP50,000.00/year

3. Persons or entities intending to register as a VoIP service reseller are required to submit/pay the following documents/fees, in addition to those required to be submitted/paid for VAS registration:

a. Certified true copy of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Registration or Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Registration showing, among others, that the entity at least sixty percent (60%) owned by Filipino citizens;

b. Certified true copy of a reseller agreement with a duly registered VoIP service provider;

c. Filing Fee: PhP180.00;

d. Registration Fee: PhP5,000.00/year

4. Certificates of Registration (COR) issued to VOIP Providers and Resellers shall be valid for a period of one (1) year, and are renewable thereafter;

5. Each VoIP service provider shall post a performance bond in the amount of five million pesos (PhP5,000,000.00) to guarantee the delivery of VoIP service to the public. VOIP Resellers shall likewise post a performance bond in the amount of one million pesos (PhP1,000,000.00). The performance bond shall be from a registered insurance or surety company preferably from the Government Service Insurance System.

The performance bond shall be for the duration of the validity of the certificate of registration as a VoIP service provider or reseller. These entities shall at all time be covered by a performance bond. The performance bond shall be forfeited in favor of the government in the event that these entities fail to deliver VoIP service pursuant to NTC Rules and Regulations.

6. Each registered VoIP service provider shall be assigned a VoIP service prefix "09xx". Only a user/customer/subscriber with an assigned VoIP subscriber number shall be allowed to originate and/or receive VoIP calls/traffic.

7. Only Duly registered VoIP service provider shall be allowed to offer VoIP service using "Toll Free" service. Each registered VoIP service provider offering this type of service shall be assigned a "Toll Free" access telephone number "1801-xxx-yyyy". Code "yyy" shall be assigned to duly registered VoIP service providers. Code "xxx" shall be assigned to duly authorized local access network providers as follows:

                                                                                                                               

Code	Local Access Network Provider
100-199	PAPTELCO Members
200	Bayan Telecommunications, Inc.
201	Bell Telecommunications Philippines, Inc.
203	Digital Telecommunications Philippines, Inc.
204	Innove Communications, Inc.
205	Philcom Corporation
206	Philippine Long Distance Telephone Corp.
207	Pilipino Telephone Corporation
208	Telecom Technologies Philippines, Inc.
209	Telecommunications Office (CICT)
302	Express Telecommunications, Inc.
303	Globe Telecom, Inc.
306	Smart Communications, Inc.
400-404	3G Network Operators

8. All VoIP calls/traffic, outgoing and incoming, shall pass through duly registered/authorized VoIP service providers.

These guidelines shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 23 Nov. 2005

                                   

(SGD.) RONALD OLIVAR SOLIS
Commissioner
(SGD.) JORGE V. SARMIENTO	(SGD.) JAIME M. FORTES, JR.
Deputy Commissioner	Deputy Commissioner