Abo and Penaranda Law firm

Salient Provisions of Republic Act No. 11837: An Act Granting Linkserve Telecommunications Network, Inc. a “FRANCHISE”

An Act Granting Linkserve Telecommunications Network, Inc. a “FRANCHISE” to construct, install, establish, operate, and maintain telecommunications system throughout the Philippines.” Apparently, this aims to add another active player in the market giving the consuming public more options.
Telecommunications franchise

The telecommunications sector has been a significant contributor to the economic growth and development of the country and of the world as a whole. The introduction of the internet and the prevalent use of wired/wireless phones are milestones that have made telecommunications a vital part of our daily lives.

Telecommunications also became indispensable during the Covid-19 pandemic as online transactions surged. It made purchasing basic needs, booking travel tickets and hotel reservations, and conducting classes, forums, and meetings possible online.

In sum, communications devices became virtual lifelines to safety and comfort in an upsetting time. As a result, the telecommunications sector now plays an important role in the affairs of society and industry.

Given its significance, it is always interesting to monitor how telecommunication systems providers will fare in the coming years, how new technologies will impact their performance, and what issues need to be addressed to make the sector progressive and competitive.

To date, a number of telecommunication system providers have been granted a “franchise” to construct, install, establish, operate, and maintain telecommunication systems in the Philippines. Nevertheless, in 2020, data provided by National Telecommunications Commission (“NTC”) disclosed that customer complaints on telecommunication services went up driven mainly by the pandemic-induced changes in work, school, and business setup. Reportedly, the top complaints were poor service, billing issues, and intermittent or poor internet.

The responsibility to address the aforementioned telecommunication-related problems does not lie solely with the concerned telecommunication systems providers, but also with that the Government. Hence, on 13 September 2021, the 18th Congress of the Republic passed House Bill No. 10193 with the title “An Act Granting Linkserve Telecommunications Network, Inc. a “FRANCHISE” to construct, install, establish, operate, and maintain telecommunications system throughout the Philippines.” Apparently, this aims to add another active player in the market giving the consuming public more options.

The article was written by: Atty. Maria Nastassja G. Cordero-Anson

Share:

More Posts

AI

Copyright Ownership of AI Research

In the fast-changing world of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”), creativity and innovation have been recognized, especially in research. The question of copyright ownership has become increasingly