I guess it was inevitable. Inq7 reports that the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) may lift the moratorium on commercial text messages.
I await (with a sense of dread and apprehension) the memorandum circular, which may be released “as early as next week,” according to NTC Chairman Ronald Solis.
I wonder what prompted the NTC to agree on this. My guess is that the NTC was pressured by both the mobile phone companies and content providers, since text spam can bring revenue to the former and more business to the latter.
I just hope that we consumers have the option to “unsubcribe” to these text spam. And I hope that the mobile phone companies charge us extra to obtain a “spam-free” service.
11 comments
We are already paying them for access, why should we pay for spam free service. If they give me a free mobile phone service I would happily take their spam.
I believe we should not have to pay for spam at all. These text spam should be treated as advertising by the CPs and network operators. Therefore, they must also shoulder the cost (or at least not pass it to the customer).
But, it is good that this ban is being lifted as it will allow telcos and CPs to introduce new products and services to their customers. Again, just treat it like an advertising medium.
I do not see it getting as bad as spam because there is a cost involved when sending SMS.
an idea.. advertisers to shoulder the cost, and maybe even give free load or other types of freebies, like text coupons in exchange for giving them access to our phones. They should only send to those who explicitly agree to receive ads – like opt-in email subscription. Those who do not want ads should not receive any. And maybe legislation like the CAN SPAM Act.
How about non-expiring SIMs? What if i just want a phone which can receive text and calls. No need to put load. Advertisers can pay for the maintenance cost of these “receivers”. The receiveer may even be made to register some info, which can be used for marketing research.
why bother to have “free” services?
Nothing in this world comes for free anymore!
You can opt out of broadcast messages from customer service. Of course, they make that hard!
based on the INQ report they (spammers) can send text spams as long as they DONT CHARGE THE USERS and send the spams in office hours, same laws in telemarketing in a tollfree number in the US.. pretty much that is what the TEXT SPAM BAN is all about..
“Many mobile phone subscribers say they are billed for receiving unsolicited text messages and commercial broadcasts, and some complain of the inconvenience of receiving the messages, many of which are sent late at night”
i think its okay..
someone has to go to the NTC office and Columbine those greedy pig faces
You want to opt-out migz? 🙂 when I asked someone from the service center of Globe near Glorietta way back to opt-out my wife’s number they said it will take them 2 weeks daw. HAHAHA! I told them that I was in the same business before (ex-wolfpac) and I know that turning off or putting my number in their block list will not take that long. Given the system procedure, 24 hrs is already agreeable. Wala deadma lang siya. But in fairness, while waiting the number to be opt-out they gave me 100 peso top-up load.
I didn’t know the delay between the time the customer contacts customer service, and the time the CP gets the request.
Well, content providing is a strange business. Some of the issues before were that the users got free content (e.g. ringtones) but didn’t know that when they opt in, they need to pay.