Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has implemented a new pro-consumer policy.
The DICT posted the new Memorandum Order 004, Series of 2018 on December 14 that mandates telcos to unlock phones after the situated lock-in period. The policy will then be implemented by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).
As per the memorandum, users who have accomplished their outstanding obligations and have already completed the lock-in period have the right to utilize their phone freely, whether they want to change their current wireless service provider or not.
Eliseo M. Rio Jr., DICT Acting Secretary, said that this policy is just one of the government’s gift to Filipinos.
This move will also force telcos to improve their services if they want to keep their customers for long.
Besides this new policy, the government has also finally hailed a third telco player in the industry. With Mislatel already chosen to compete with PLDT and Globe, Filipinos should expect a more reliable and affordable wireless and internet services in the future. A great news to the growing number of online jobs and workers that rely their living on reliable internet connection.
Smaller players have also been improving their game recently. For one, Converge ICT bumped up the speeds of their current FiberX plan by 50%, for the same exact price.