DICT extends deadline for Telcos to fix prepaid load validity until July

Rhosedel Grace P. Gabac | January 9, 2018

Photo from PHILSTAR.COM

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has released an extension of six months for Telcos concerning the amendment that will result to prepaid loads validity be fixed to one year.

This is contrary to the earlier announced date of the said amendment, which will make the load valid for an entire year upon top-up, January 5 of this year according to DICT.

The extension was allocated to give room for telecommunications systems to adapt and benchmark to prevent the occurrence of technical glitches.

“We apologize for giving the public false expectations, but if we have to err, it would be on the side of being 100-percent certain that nothing untoward will happen,” said DICT OIC Eliseo M. Rio Jr.

“However, the 6-month period is only a time limit where the Telcos can be penalized if they have not complied by then,” Rio added.

Moreover, Rio regarded the deadline until July for telecommunication companies to integrate the one-year validity period as a seemingly race whereas the victor has a greater probability of attracting more clients.

“With this, we expect their compliance earlier than the deadline. This will show that there is real competition on their part,” he said.