[ NTC MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 03-05-2008, May 30, 2008 ]

ADDITIONAL RULES ON THE INTERCONNECTION OF LOCAL EXCHANGE CARRIERS IN LOCAL CALLING AREAS



WHEREAS, Section 2 Article II of MC 14-7-2000 defines Local Calling (Service) Area as "the province within which telecommunications services are furnished subscribers under specific scheduled rates and without toll charges. For purposes of these rules, the present areas forming part of the numbering plan area "2" shall be considered a local calling (service) area of all PTEs presently authorized to provide telecommunications service in any portion of the said area";

WHEREAS, Several local exchange carriers (LEC) have introduced and are operating wireless local loop within their respective authorized local calling areas;

WHEREAS, technologies allow wireless local loop subscribers to move around and use their WLL phone units within a local calling area;

NOW THEREFORE for and in consideration of the above premises and pursuant to the powers vested upon the National Telecommunications Commission (Commission) by EO 546 series of 1979, EO 59 series of 1993 and RA 7925 the following guidelines are hereby promulgated;
  1. There shall be no interconnection access charges between interconnected LECs for calls originating from or terminating in WLL subscribers within a local calling area.
  2. WLL subscribers of duly enfranchised and authorized public telecommunications entities shall be allowed to move around originate and receive calls anywhere within a local calling area. All calls made within a local calling area shall be considered local calls
  3. WLL subscriber units registered within a local calling area shall not be allowed to used outside said local calling area. WLL operators shall ensure that no WLL subscriber units registered in one local calling area are used in another local calling area. Signal spill-over distance of 1 kilometer from the furthest edge of an authorized local calling area into the next local calling area shall be allowed.
  4. WLL calls made from one local calling area to another local calling area shall be considered national long distance calls and shall be imposed the appropriate interconnection access charges.
  5. Violations of herein prescribed guidelines shall be imposed penalties pursuant rules and regulations.
  6. This Circular amends or supersedes any Circular, Order and Memorandum or any part/s thereof inconsistent herewith.
  7. This Circular shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation and three (3) certified true copies furnished the UP Law Center.
Adopted: 30 May 2008


(SGD.) RUEL V. CANOBAS
Commissioner
   
(SGD.) JORGE V. SARMIENTO
(SGD.) JAIME M. FORTES, JR.
Deputy Commissioner
Deputy Commissioner