PH Internet

Bam to NTC: Explain Delay in MC on Internet Standards

Where are we in improving the country’s Internet connection service?

Senator Bam Aquino made this pronouncement to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), as he wondered why the agency has not yet issued the memorandum circular on the quality of Internet standards.

“Six months have passed since the NTC committed to come out with the memorandum circular but until now, the agency has yet to deliver on its promise,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

“The NTC must provide a detailed and acceptable report on its recent moves to improve the country’s Internet connection service as the approval of their 2016 budget heavily depends on that,” added Aquino.

Appointed recently as one of the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Sen. Bam is tasked to scrutinize and approve the budget of several government agencies, including the NTC, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA)

For almost a year now, Sen. Bam has been investigating the slow and expensive Internet in the country.

During one of the hearings earlier this year, the NTC promised to release a memorandum circular that will set Internet quality service in the country, including the minimum speed for broadband and DSL connections.

Six months after, the NTC has yet to deliver on its commitment, which Sen. Bam described as detrimental to the welfare of millions of Internet user in the country.

The committee hearing though has produced small victories that may help achieve a faster and cheaper connection.

The probe has encouraged telecommunication companies to embrace IP peering that will help speed up opening of websites while the Department of Justice (DOJ) has released guidelines against deceptive or misleading internet print, TV and radio advertisements.

 

BIDA KA: Maliliit na panalo

Mga Bida, pamilyar ba kayo sa terminong IP peering?

Kabisado ng mga ­techie o iyong mahihilig sa makabagong gamit at teknolohiya ang salitang ito ngunit hindi naman para sa mga ‘di techie.

Upang lubos na ma­unawaan ang takbo ng IP peering, gagamitin ko bilang halimbawa ang mag­kaibigang sina Vic at Joey, na magkaharap lang ang bahay sa Quezon City.

Kung may nais ­ibigay na regalo si Vic sa kanyang kaibigang Joey, pina­padala muna niya ito sa Estados Unidos bago ito makara­ting sa bahay ni Joey, at ganundin si Joey pag may ipapadala kay Vic.

Talagang pinapahirapan ng dalawang magkaibigang ito ang isa’t isa sa halip na tumawid na lamang sa kalsada at iabot ang mga regalo sa isa’t isa. Sa ganitong sistema, mabagal, sayang sa oras at magastos pa.

Ganito ang ­sistema ng ating telecommunications companies sa nga­­yon dahil sa ­kawalan ng IP pee­ring. Ang ­dala­wang telcos ay parang sina Vic at Joey na magkapitbahay lang pero wala silang direktang koneksiyon sa isa’t isa.

Kung ikaw ay isang subscriber at may bubuksan na website na nasa kabilang telco, bibiyahe pa ang data sa US bago bumalik ang iyong data sa iyong computer.

Sa ganitong proseso, mas matagal ang takbo ng ating Internet connection dahil kailangan pang bumiyahe sa milya-mil­yang kable ang data bago pa mabuksan ang website sa ating computer.

Subalit isang magandang balita ang ating tinanggap kamakailan sa padinig natin tungkol sa mabagal at mahal na Internet sa bansa.

***

Sinabi ng mga ­telcos at ng Department of ­Science and Technology (DOST) na malapit nang mabuo ang memorandum of agreement (MOA) para sa IP peering para sa lahat ng telcos sa bansa.

Sa plano, papayagan na ang IP peering gamit ang exchange server ng DOST upang direkta nang makapag-usap ang mga ISP nang hindi na dadaan pa sa ibang bansa.
May commitment na ang mga telcos at go­vernment agencies sa IP peering para sa mabilis na pagbuo ng MOA, na maaari nang mapirmahan anumang oras.

Kapag naisakatuparan ang IP peering, magiging lokal na ang nila­laman ng mga website sa Pilipinas. Mas bibilis ang Internet at mas madali nang magbukas ng mga website dahil hindi na kailangang umikot pa sa malayong bahagi ng mundo ang data.

***

Isa pa sa maituturin­g na maliit na panalo ay ang plano ng National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) na lumikha ng isang memorandum circular na siyang magtatakda ng dapat na bilis ng Internet sa bansa.

Kapag lumabas iyon, puwede na itong ibangga sa opisyal na bilis sa nakalagay sa advertisements ng telcos.

***

Sinimulan na rin ang pagtalakay sa mga prose­so ng ating gobyerno ukol sa paglalagay ng telcos ng imprastruktura gaya ng cell site at mga kable na magpapabilis sa ating Internet.

Sa kasalukuyang sis­tema, labing-anim na hak­bang at anim hanggang pitong ­national government ­agencies ang dapat daanan bago makapagpatayo ng impras­truktura sa isang lugar.

Dahil dito, napipigi­lan ang expansion programs ng telcos para sa mas magandang Internet.

Nagpahayag ang NTC na pag-aaralan ang mga nasabing hakbang para mas mapadali ang pagkuha ng mga permit ng telcos sa mga national agencies.

Sa panig ng DILG, nangako silang makiki­pag-ugnayan sa mga siyudad, munisipalidad at mga lalawigan para sa pag-aaral ng mga bayarin at mga proseso para makakuha ng permit ang ating mga telcos.

Noong nakaraang hearing, may nagsabi sa social media na, “we are barking at the wrong tree.” Mukhang maling isyu raw ang ating tini­tingnan para masolus­yunan ang problema sa ating Internet connection.

Ngunit para sa akin, ang tintingnan natin ay hindi iisang puno, kundi isang gubat na mara­ming masasalimuot at kumplikadong isyu.

Ang ginagawa natin, iniisa-isa natin ang pagresolba sa mga isyung ito upang maabot natin ang inaasam na malaking panalo para sa taumbayan.

Mga Bida, isang taon na ang nakalipas nang si­mulan natin ang pagtala­kay sa isyu ng Internet. Hindi natin ito bibitawan hanggang sa makuha nating mga users ang nararapat na bilis, presyo at access ng Internet connection!

 

 

First published on Abante Online

 

 

E-Commerce Law to Improve Ease of Doing Business, Internet Connection – Sen. Bam

 

If properly developed, Senator Bam Aquino believes that Republic Act 8792, better known as the E-Commerce Law, would improve ease of doing business and provide cheaper and faster Internet connection.

 Passed in 2000, the senator said the law mandates several government agencies, led by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), to promote and implement a framework that will result to cheap and fast broadband and wireless accessibility, which will allow trade online.

“If implemented to the letter, the E-Commerce Law will be a big help in our mission to give the public cheaper and faster Internet connection to allow them to explore livelihood online,” explained Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

Aquino recently spearheaded the inquiry into the slow and expensive Internet connection in the country.

The senator stressed that the law will help address the country’s problem in terms of ease of doing business as it mandates the establishment of an electronic online network that connects all government agencies down to the regional level.

“With all government agencies connected by a single network, processing of documents will be easier, faster and cheaper because you don’t have to jump from one office to another,” Aquino explained.

E-Commerce could also boost job generation with the high demand in online-related jobs such as business process outsourcing (BPO), gaming and animation, and online marketing.

“Also, we are now starting to see the arrival of jobs that can be done without leaving home, such as online writing, design and document analysis,” Aquino explained.

Aside from this, E-Commerce will also empower online entrepreneurs who promote and sell their products on the Internet.

“E-Commerce could provide more opportunities for livelihood and earning, locally and globally. With Filipinos being online savvy, the world is our market and our opportunities are limitless,” he added.

In line with this, Aquino filed a resolution seeking to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the development of the country’s national industrial roadmap for E-Commerce since it was passed 14 years ago.

“We want to know where we are in terms of ICT and if the law has been effective in carrying out plans, program and reforms to boost E-Commerce in the country,” said Aquino.

In the latest World Economic Forum Global Information and Technology report, the Philippines showed a marked improvement with a rank of 78 out of 148 countries from its previous ranking of 86.

“In order to sustain this development, there is a need to assess the roadmap for the E-Commerce sector through the aid of appropriate government agencies to promote innovation and further improve the industry’s growth,” Aquino added.

 

Telcos must Declare Average Minimum Internet Speed on Ads – Sen. Bam

Instead of the ‘up to’ phrase, Senator Bam Aquino wants telecommunication companies to put average minimum Internet speed on all forms of advertisements so as not to mislead subscribers.

“We are pushing changes in advertising. It would be good for our consumers if what is communicated is clearer,” said Aquino, after the hearing of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship on the slow and expensive Internet connection in the country.

During the hearing, Aquino said part of the consumers’ dissatisfaction is that flyers and other advertisements claim speeds of up to between 5 to 10 Mbps but experience just the average when they subscribed.

“Why can’t we just advertise the average speed? The one that I will get for 24 hours of the day rather than the one that I will get three or four hours of the day,” Aquino asked.

“In the same way, we ask people selling products to just share the common experience rather than the special experience,” he added.

The senator also wants the average minimum speed to be printed in large fonts instead of fine print so consumers will be properly informed of what they are getting from Internet providers.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Assistant Secretary Geronimo Sy supported Aquino’s call, saying the agency did the same with the budget promo fares by airlines years ago.

“It’s a no-brainer for Telcos to actually adjust their advertising,” said Sy, head of the DOJ’s Office of Competition.

Sy also promised the committee to issue an advisory to Telcos to put average Internet speeds on their advertisements.

In addition, Aquino will push for the amendment of a 78-year-old law making Internet a basic service, giving government greater control over pricing and quality.

“We’ll push for the amendment of Public Service Act which is a 1936 law. We’re talking about the high-tech information age and we’re still using a 1936 law,” said Aquino.

Aquino also called on the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to check if indeed congestion is the main cause of slow Internet.

Aquino would also push for added budget for NTC for purchase of added equipment to monitor the Internet service in the country.

Transcript of Sen. Bam Aquino’s Interview after the Hearing on the Slow and Expensive Internet Connection

Q: Kumusta po ang inyong hearing?

A: Marami pang kailangang pag-usapan, to be frank. We just suspended the hearing but you can expect that in a few months, we will have another hearing on this because marami pang unresolved issues.

 

Changes in Advertising

We talked mostly about the problems today but I really want to talk about solutions. One I think iyong changes sa ating advertising, I think that would be quite good for our consumers na mas malinaw kung ano ang nakukuha nila pagdating sa Internet.

Congestion

Pangalawa iyong pagdating sa congestion. We’ve instructed NTC to actually check if indeed congestion is the main problem kung bakit mabagal ang Internet.

Sabi ko nga, kung congestion ito na once in a blue moon, then maybe you can say ok at that particular time, mahina ang Internet. But if it a regular type of congestion, araw-araw mong nararanasan, that’s something that has to be addressed regularly.

Value-Added Service vs. Basic Service

Now, NTC has said na Internet natin is considered as a value-added service, hindi siya basic service meaning hindi siya makapagregulate nang todo-todo dahil hindi ito kasama sa basic services natin.

I think that can be one of the laws that could be amended na gawin nating basic service ang Internet. It is already recognized as a human right and if we make it a basic service, at least puwede talaga nating bantayan kung paano ito puwedeng maikalat sa maraming Pilipino, at the right cost and at the right service level.

Next Step: Technical Working Group

The TWG will probably tackle this more in detail. Hopefully aantabayanan po natin iyan kung paano gumalaw.

Kasi ang nagiging problema sa maraming hearing, nag-uusap-usap pero walang nangyayari.

Hindi natin iiwanan ang isyung ito.

Every quarter we can have this hearing and make sure that we get closer to affordable and quality Internet for our country.

 

Q: Puwede bang babaan ang charges sa Internet na mabagal?

A. Sa totoo lang, NTC cannot regulate even on that because it’s not a basic service.

It is a market driven system right now.  If we’re able to make Internet a basic service, it can one of the services which is regulated.

Alam naman natin na sa ating bansa, may mga regulators tayo, they can basically dictate the prices for certain services and if we’re able to make Internet a basic service, puwede nang gawin iyan. Puwede nang mag-regulate.

 

Q: Sir ano ang mga standards that you want to set?

A: In fact, in the Philippine Digital Strategy, nakalagay doon na by 2016, kailangang 80 percent na ng ating mga kababayan ang mayroong internet access and nasa minimum of 2 MPBS.

Mayroon na tayong standard na kailangang sundan. This Philippine Digital Strategy was made by DOST in 2010.

In fact, binabantayan natin kung umaabot tayo sa standards na iyon. According to the private sector and NTC, mukhang maaabot naman ang 80 percent access by 2016.

But iyong regularity of speed and iyong cost ang dapat bantayan, na dapat affordable pa rin ito at tuluy-tuloy at hindi dapat pawala-wala.

 

Q: Sino ba dapat magre-regulate? Dapat pa ba tayong mag-create ng regulator?

We have a regulator and that’s the NTC. So alam ninyo iyong isang na-reason kanina ay do we need new laws or just have NTC regulate.

In some cases, puwede na silang mag-regulate but in case of the Internet, na hindi considered as basic service, kailangan itong gawing basic service.

 

Q: Sir, how do we do that?

We’ll amend the Public Service Act, which is a 1936 law.

Isipin mo, we’re talking about high-tech information age and we’re still using a 1936 law.

So it’s about time that we update this law and we use those amendments to really push for better access, more affordable internet in the Philippines.

 

Q: This means powerless po ang government?

No that’s not right. In fact, we asked NTC to come up with standards for Internet. Initially, walang pa silang standard na sini-set because this is a value added service.

Standards

To respond lang sa hinaing ng maraming Pilipino, kahit iyong ibang senador may hinaing na rin sila, it’s just right that they come up with standards to check the infrastructure kung talagang kaya ng infrastructure natin ang pinapangakong speed ng ating Internet.

Kung hindi, pilitin natin ang private sector na ma-match ang standards na nakalay-out na at gagawin ng NTC.

Responsibility of Users

Iyong kabaligtad din dito I think, we must be responsible users of the Internet just to be fair. Earlier nga na-mention na iilang tao lang na heavy users, apektado ang lahat.

Kung 24/7 ka sa mobile, panay ang download mo, nakakaapekto sa mga kasama mo.

 

Q: Sir in your next hearing ano po ang tututukan ninyo?

A: First we’ll have a TWG. All of the resource speakers, the NTC, DOST, DTI and telco partners. We’ll invite the other ISPs. I think mahalaga rin dito ang ating local government units.

 

Puro Salita

Himayin natin ang discussion natin and come up with specific recommendations and from there, we’ll give it maybe two to three months to have another hearing para ma-track natin kung may nangyayari ba o wala.

Ang masakit kasi, puro salita at walang nangyayari. By the next hearing, after three months, we can check already, mayroon ba tayong solusyon na naihain o nagawa na o wala pa rin.

 

On Local Government Units

Iyon isa ring siguro na na-raise ay iyong sa local government units. Sinasabi ng ating telcos, hindi pare-pareho ang pagtrato sa kanila ng LGUs. There are some LGUs who will charge a really high amount, ang iba naman will charge less.

Nahihirapan sila (telcos) na i-roll out ang kanilang services. Kaya it’s important also to have the DILG, League of Cities and the League of Municipalities to have a common stand that when it comes to Internet and providing, kailangang tulung-tulong tayo rito.

On Congestion

Standards when it terms to congestion. At the minimum, they can actually show kung iyong infrastructure natin nagma-match sa population or Internet usage, para kung congestion nga ang problema, makita natin kung ano ang paraan kung anong ma-decongest natin.

Q: What’s the issue with Internet peering?

A: Well this is something NTC is already working on. We’ll ask for an update on the next hearing or during the TWG.

Ibig sabihih nito nagko-connect locally ang ating mga nodes. To be frank, maybe a technical answer might be better.

 

Paikot-ikot

Simply put, kunyari galing akong Quezon City pupunta akong Makati, dadaan akong EDSA. Hindi na ako iikot sa Manila Bay, pupunta pa sa Cebu at babalik pa bago makarating sa Makati.

This makes the nodes faster. I think NTC is already working on this, and we’ll look for updates after three months on this issue.

 

Q. Kasama po ba ang mga text na pinapadala ng network na may promo sa resolusyon ninyo?

A: It’s not part of the resolution but we can add it.

 

Q: Kung minsan matutulog ka na lang may magtetext, akala ko importante.

A: I can have that checked. Pag nandoon na ang NTC puwede nating patanong iyon. But primarily kasi, the question is more on the expensive Internet.

Compared to other countries, medyo lumalayo na ang presyo. So we’re hoping kung ma-refer na siya sa aming committee today, we’re hoping to have the hearing next week.

 

Q: Hindi magkakalayo ang mga rates nila, so puwede ba nating sabihin na maaaring may cartel rin sila?

A: Hard to say that that’s a crime.

 

Fair Competition

But babalik din tayo diyan sa competition policy. That’s one of the bills we’re pushing for.  If you have better competition, you have more people in the market, mas competitive, mas bababa ang presyo.

 

Roadmap for Internet

Primarily gusto naming tanungin sa NTC, ano ang roadmap natin.

Technically, regulated industry iyan, NTC should have a roadmap in terms of the price and quality.

Unfortunately, napag-iwanan na tayo ng ibang mga bansa so we want to see. Antabayanan natin kung anong sasabihin nila.

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