The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) of Philippines has released its latest draft rules on Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, which also include details of charges local VoIP service providers must pay to continue offering their services.
Under its new regulations, VoIP service providers are required to sign interconnection agreements with at least one public switched telephone network (PSTN). In turn, PSTN will take care of routing calls to and from other networks. VoIP players have to pay at least 0.25 peso per minte as transmit charges to their partner telecos or calls made either through a landline or a mobile phone. VoIP service providers will also be charged an access fee or routing charge of 1 peso from each call originating and terminating from a fixed line network. NTC has invited industry players and stakeholders to give their comments and recommendations one the new rules.
