Roxas urges revision of telecom statutes

By PATRICIA ESTEVES The Manila Times Reporter

Senator Mar Roxas, cochairman of the Senate oversight committee on e-commerce, on Monday underscored the need to amend provisions of the country’s telecom laws, stressing that these may have become obsolete because of the changing business models, consumer demands and technological innovations.

"Using VoIP lowers communication cost. It enables our OFWs [overseas Filipino workers] to communicate with their loved ones as often as they want," Roxas said, adding that exporters may transact business at lower costs, making them more competitive.

VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, is a generic term that refers to all types of voice communication using Internet protocol technology, instead of the traditional circuit-switched technology. It enables users from different parts of the world to engage in voice conversations, even from long distances, without having to pass through part or all of the telecommunication facilities.

Through the use of VoIP, a person could engage in international voice conversations without having to pass through and pay the telephone companies, which charge higher fees for the use of their networks.

"In the global world of commerce, there is a shift in business models brought about by technological innovations which may have rendered some of our laws practically ineffective," Roxas said.

referring to Republic Act 7295, the Public Telecommunications Policy Act, that sparked a heated debate over the use of VoIP as a telecom service or a value-added service.

He noted that in a memo dated March 29 this year, the National Telecommunications Commission said that under R.A. 7925, VoIP is considered a value-added service. Giant telecom firms, however, have countered this.

Roxas explained that the interpretation of the law is not the key issue but the market forces and the technology that have overtaken certain provisions of the law.

"Until Congress comes up with its own clear definition, this is the policy position of the NTC that VoIP is not a traditional voice service, that it is not subject to capture by the telcos, or the telecommunications companies. But, on the other hand, it is the market that is already ahead of us, rendering some provisions of our laws obsolete," Roxas said