spot_img
28.4 C
Philippines
Friday, March 29, 2024

Microsoft wants PH telecom law repealed

- Advertisement -

Microsoft Philippines Inc., a unit of Microsoft Corp., has called for a review of the local telecommunications law, saying it has become outdated.

Microsoft released a position paper on improving telecommunications in the Philippines. The paper identified several key policy recommendations that include an update of the obsolete telecommunications laws.

“We are building an intelligent platform that will reduce the cost of accessibility to people and businesses,” Microsoft International president Jean-Philippe Courtois said.

The paper recommended a light-touch approach and regular review to ensure laws remain relevant.

“New legislation can include sunset clauses to trigger automatic review, while older legislation that overly restricts competition should be liberalized,” the paper read.

- Advertisement -

It called for the repeal of RA 7925, or the Telecommunications Act of 1995 due to its monopolistic amendments.

Paper co-author Eduardo Araral Jr. of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of the National University of Singapore said the actual price of one megabyte of data to the Philippines from nearer parts of the world in reality was was just $1.

“Cable firms in Luzon are billed $100 per megabyte, while those in the Visayas $200 and a hefty $300/MB in Mindanao. This is due to inaccessibility to connection. They have to go through the bigger carriers,” Araral said.

Only bigger players under the current telecommunications law can access connectivity and distribute such.

Key recommendations include reforms in the educational system to improve competencies and compensation of teachers. The paper also seeks to address the digital divide and bring universal access to affordable broadband, increase the adoption of ICT and enhance national awareness of the power and benefits of cloud computing to establish a favorable regulatory environment.

Microsoft Philippines collaborated with the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and the Asian Institute of Management to help the Philippines determine the next step in its ICT development process through the right technology.

The event is one of the culminating activities of Microsoft Philippines’ 20th anniversary.

“This manifesto is aimed at framing and advancing the discussions around national ICT agenda, and we are keen on forming strong partnerships with civil society and industry stakeholders,” said Courtois.

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles