The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has imposed daily fines on Globe Telecom, Smart Communications and DITO Telecommunity over alleged deficiencies in their mobile broadband services.
Under separate show-cause orders, the three telecommunications companies were each fined ₱100,000 per day until they comply with the required quality-of-service standards.
The NTC said it will conduct tests every two weeks in affected areas to determine whether the companies have made the necessary network improvements.
“The NTC commits to take decisive action in enforcing compliance with quality-of-service standards and will conduct bi-weekly re-testing in the affected areas to verify the implementation of necessary network improvements while continuing to monitor other areas to assess the quality and availability of mobile broadband services,” the agency said.
The regulator said it had previously issued memoranda on May 29, Aug. 5 and Nov. 17, 2025, directing the companies to improve services in areas experiencing weak or no mobile signals.
Aside from the fines, the NTC ordered the telcos to submit corrective action plans detailing the technical measures they will undertake, planned infrastructure improvements and timelines for implementation.
Smart parent PLDT Inc. said in a Sept. 28 disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange that it had yet to receive the NTC’s show-cause order.
“Upon receipt of the Show Cause Order, Smart will review the same and respond through the appropriate regulatory channels,” PLDT said.
DITO, in a separate disclosure the same day, said it was “currently engaging the NTC in discussions with respect to the contents of the Show Cause Letter.”
Globe said it was carefully studying the matter and would respond to the NTC within the period provided in the order.
The Ayala-led telco also cited a Department of Information and Communications Technology scorecard showing that Globe received an overall rating of “Good” in August.
The DICT data showed Globe’s average mobile speed at 45.9 Mbps, while its coverage stood at 45.13 percent and service consistency at 86.75 percent. The scorecard rated coverage as good, while average speed and service consistency were rated average.