House OKs bill seeking cheaper internet by removing spectrum fees
MANILA, Philippines — A bill that seeks to provide cheaper and more accessible internet to the public by removing the spectrum user fee (SUF) has been approved by the House of Representatives on the third and final reading.
During the session on Wednesday, 203 lawmakers voted to approve House Bill No. 10699 or the proposed Sana All May Internet Act, with none voting against it or abstaining.
If enacted, the government — particularly the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) — will no longer impose “a levy, charge, or collect fees” from public communications entities (PTEs).
The SUF, the bill said, refers to the fee imposed by the government on PTEs using a particular frequency. Under the bill, Wi-Fi frequencies at 2.4-2.4835 gigahertz (GHz), 5.150-5.350 GHz, and 5.470-5.850 GHz, and any other frequency band that the NTC may deem open and unprotected will be included in the zero SUF policy.
“The State, through the DICT and the NTC, shall not impose a levy, charge, or collect fees from PTEs and other users for their use of the frequencies as specified in this Act, provided, that PTEs shall not interfere with each other’s Wi-Fi airwaves or with any licensed radio stations in the course of their operations, thereby effectively establishing a zero SUF,” the bill read.
“The zero SUF shall be without prejudice to the authority of State, through the NTC, to collect fees for registration and authorization permits and licenses provided that such fees do not substantially deviate from traditional fees and charges that it becomes onerous to PTEs,” it added.
Similarly, the proposal also seeks to enable the proliferation of Wi-Fi technology usage and facilitate infrastructure development — all of which are eventually aimed at lowering the cost of internet services.
“The State recognizes the vital role of telecommunication in nation building and as such, it shall implement measures to provide communication standards suitable to the needs and aspirations of the nation,” the bill read.
“To this end, the government shall allocate the radio frequency spectrum to promote the adoption of appropriate technologies and best practices, an interference-free environment, and the highest service standards and shall assign the radio frequency spectrum to service providers capable of efficiently and effectively using it to meet public demand for telecommunications and data transmission services,” it added.
Last September 2022, during the budget deliberations for the 2023 budget, Northern Samar 1st District Rep. Paul Daza said cheaper internet in the country, especially in rural and underserved areas, is possible if NTC would forego the SUF.
READ: Cheaper internet in PH likely if NTC waives spectrum user fee, says lawmaker
Daza explained that the SUF hinders small and independent telecommunication companies from delivering adequate services because they have to shell out more to use the WiFi frequencies that are supposedly “open to public use.”
Under the current setup, the NTC collects the SUF from telcos using frequencies. But, according to Daza, this disadvantages small players only using the WiFi frequency.
For this, the legislator suggested that NTC just charge the SUF on big players such as Globe and Smart, and other larger companies using frequencies.
