Smart Communications, a 100% owned subsidiary of PLDT, has filed a complaint with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) concerning allegations that Altimax Broadcasting and Globe Telecom subsidiary Innove Communications Inc are using their radio frequencies ‘illegally’. The Philippine Star adds that Smart is specifically calling for Altimax frequencies that were bought by Globe to be rescinded and reallocated to ‘qualified applicants under [a] competitive public bidding’ process. In its filing Smart said: ‘We are now asking the commission to immediately order Altimax to cease and desist from leasing out the questioned frequencies, and Innove from the use thereof. And with their multiple violations, we ask for the frequencies previously granted to Altimax to be recalled and revoked and to make these frequencies available to qualified interested telecommunications service providers.’
In July this year CommsUpdate reported that PLDT accused rival Globe Telecom of illegally using spectrum held by broadcasting firm Altimax for WiMAX broadband services, without gaining official approval from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). At the time PLDT’s head of regulatory and policy affairs, Ray Espinosa, said: ’Through the testimony of Globe’s witness, we were able to establish that Globe is illegally using the radio frequencies of Altimax, a broadcast company, for WiMAX purposes, which has not been authorised by the NTC.’ The frequencies in dispute concern a 30MHz block of spectrum owned by Altimax, which has been 38%-owned by Globe since 2009. Countering the accusation, Globe’s head of network technologies, Froilan Castelo, said the NTC has in part sanctioned the spectrum for WiMAX.