Rappler's latest stories on NTC
Marcoleta: Why is Sky Cable allowed to operate with a lapsed franchise?
The NTC cites Executive Order 205 signed by ex-president Cory Aquino in 1987, which 'removed' the franchise requirement for cable TV operators

NTC: Granting ABS-CBN temporary permit an 'encroachment' on Congress’ powers
NTC officials apologize to Congress, saying they 'intended no disrespect' when they ordered the ABS-CBN shutdown despite earlier committing to grant it a provisional authority to operate

Cayetano: I don’t want my stint to end without finishing ABS-CBN hearings
'October is the date nung palitan namin sa Speaker. So ayoko matapos noon, sabihin, ‘Eh walang hearing. Walang oras eh,’ ’di ba?' says Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano

Cayetano lashes out at critics: ABS-CBN franchise issue 'not about silencing media'
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano also claims there are ABS-CBN employees who supposedly used the network to meddle in past elections

House poised to grant ABS-CBN provisional franchise until October 2020
(3rd UPDATE) After sitting on the issue for months, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and 7 other House leaders file a bill seeking to give a provisional legislative franchise to the embattled ABS-CBN

Cayetano: Resumption of ABS-CBN hearings ‘does not mean automatic renewal’
The renewal of ABS-CBN's franchise is still not a House priority after Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano says 'there are still other concerns that need to be resolved' first

Bill authors ask Cayetano: ‘Put an end to confusion,' resume ABS-CBN hearings
'We believe, too, that resolving the ABS-CBN issue the soonest is equally important given the impact...of its continued shutdown in this time of crisis,' say the 14 House members

Paolo Duterte, 2 lawmakers seek probe into ABS-CBN's alleged franchise violations
The administration-allied congressmen take issue with the Kapamilya Box Office channel and the network's Philippine Depository Receipts – two issues that Solicitor General Jose Calida already raised with the Supreme Court

House panel issues show cause order vs NTC over ABS-CBN shutdown
(UPDATED) Lawmakers may move to have NTC officials arrested if found guilty of contempt

Lawmaker seeks probe vs Calida, NTC for ‘conspiracy’ to shut down ABS-CBN
House committee on public accounts chair Mike Defensor echoes the Speaker's stand that the lower chamber is not to blame for the closure of the media network

Cayetano: 'There will be a reckoning' for Calida, NTC
'The NTC appears to have succumbed to pressure from the Solicitor General, and issued a cease and desist order to ABS-CBN,' says Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, as he washed his hands of the ABS-CBN shutdown

FAST FACTS: The National Telecommunications Commission
Know more about the agency that shut down the country’s biggest broadcasting network

House Minority Leader wants NTC abolished after ABS-CBN shutdown
(UPDATED) But the comments of Manila Representative Bienvenido Abante Jr are deleted from the House records because the plenary is barred from discussing issues still pending at the committee level

How foreign media are covering ABS-CBN's shutdown
(UPDATED) Media abroad are highlighting the closure of the Philippines' 'largest TV network' amid the COVID-19 pandemic

'Pagkukulang niya ito sa bayan': Lawmakers blame Cayetano for ABS-CBN shutdown
(UPDATED) Congressmen argue that the National Telecommunications Commission, which ordered ABS-CBN to cease operations, should not be a 'scapegoat' for what Congress failed to do

NTC grilled: Why did you promise ABS-CBN a temporary permit?
In March, Deputy Commissioner Edgardo Cabarrios committed to Congress that the NTC would issue a 'provisional authority' for the network to stay on air

House panel warns NTC of contempt for not allowing ABS-CBN to keep operating
(UPDATED) But congressmen Joey Salceda and Edcel Lagman argue lawmakers only have themselves to blame for not doing their jobs to renew ABS-CBN's franchise on time

NUJP slams Calida's threat vs ABS-CBN during pandemic
NUJP counters the solicitor general by highlighting the media network's crucial role during the coronavirus outbreak

Cayetano: ‘Congress is not here to comfort ABS-CBN’
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano seems to be getting fed up the House being told what to do on the renewal of ABS-CBN's soon-to-expire franchise

NTC 'most likely' to grant ABS-CBN provisional authority to operate
The National Telecommunications Commission says its commitment to issue the temporary permit to operate is guided by legal guidance from the Department of Justice

House to finally start hearing ABS-CBN franchise renewal on March 10
(UPDATED) Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano says ABS-CBN executives will not be invited yet, as the hearing on March 10 will focus on the National Telecommunications Commission

Cayetano: Duterte deferring to Congress means ABS-CBN likely to get NTC permit
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano also insists it would 'do more harm than good' to ABS-CBN if the House would squeeze in a hearing on its franchise renewal before Congress takes a break in March

House panel ‘enjoins’ NTC to grant ABS-CBN provisional authority to operate
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano believes this letter would be 'sufficient' for the NTC to allow ABS-CBN to keep operating beyond May 4

Cayetano: House notice to NTC 'sufficient’ to allow ABS-CBN to keep operating
The Speaker says the House leadership is talking to the National Telecommunications Commission to help secure a provisional authority for ABS-CBN

NTC to KBP: No more airing of Shanti Dope's 'Amatz'
The PDEA earlier said the song 'may mislead the innocent youth into thinking that the effects of illegal drug use to be harmless'

Gov't orders phone signal shutdown for Ati-Atihan on January 20
Mobile users will not be apple to call or text starting 6 am on Sunday, January 20, as government orders the shutdown of network signal to secure Ati-Atihan

DICT orders NTC to make phones unlockable after initial lock-in period
The memorandum order provides telco subscribers with the option to switch among compatible service providers after initial lock-in period has been completed

NTC junks motions of Sear, PT&T for 3rd telco bid
Sear and PT&T can still appeal the decision of the National Telecommunications Commission, but with a price tag of P10 million per appeal

PT&T calls 3rd telco criteria 'unfair,' files petition vs NTC
PT&T questions the National Telecommunications Commission's interpretation of 'national-scale' operations, saying it favors foreign companies

Cases over regulatory fees hound some 3rd telco aspirants
(UPDATED) But PT&T and Now Telecom say they are contesting the supposed outstanding fees, so these have 'no bearing' on their bids for the 3rd telco slot

PLDT formally gives Cure's 3G frequency for free
The Department of Information and Communications Technology says the surrendered 3G frequency is now available for a new major telecommunications player

Philippines to 'add sweeteners' in guidelines for 3rd telco auction
The government is no longer requiring interested bidders to have a minimum net worth of P10 billion. Instead, it plans to award the 3rd telco slot to the participant with the 'highest committed level of service.'

PH gov't releases draft guidelines for 3rd telco auction
The Department of Information and Communications Technology and the National Telecommunications Commission come up with draft guidelines on the selection of a new major telco player

Duterte order on Cure frequencies for 3rd telco contradicts PLDT-NTC deal
A 2011 agreement states that the National Telecommunications Commission would bid out the surrendered Cure frequencies, with PLDT being given monetary compensation. President Rodrigo Duterte now refuses to give that compensation.

3 consortia forming up to battle for Philippines' 3rd telco slot
The acting chief of Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) says these 3 groups will each be led by Converge ICT Solutions Incorporated, Now Corporation, and Philippine Telegraph & Telephone Corporation (PT&T)

Naming Philippines' 3rd telco might take longer than expected
The Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) has a tall order from the Philippine president: Launch a major 3rd telecom player by March 2018. Prospective entrants think the timeline is too short.

DICT delays rule on 1-year expiration for prepaid load worth less than P300
(UPDATED) The new rule applies to prepaid load worth P300 and above starting January 6. Load worth less than P300 will only be covered by July 5.

Bayan Muna asks SC to compel telcos to refund P18-B 'excess' text fee
The petition covers Globe Telecom, Smart Communications Incorporated, and Digitel Philippines Incorporated, which is the operating company of Sun Cellular
Give NTC 'more teeth' for better Nat'l Broadband Plan – PCC
How can the Philippines have cheaper and better internet? Here are recommendations from the Philippine Competition Commission

DICT chief: No need to auction off unused frequencies
Information and Communications Technology Secretary Rodolfo Salalima says there will be no public bidding for the recalled radio frequencies unless President Rodrigo Duterte orders otherwise

LIVE: The Philippine Telecommunications Summit 2017
Watch the telco summit live on Rappler

Chinese telcos, U.S. tech firm eye entering PH telco market
Representatives of the foreign players have visited the National Telecommunications Commission headquarters to inquire about its planned spectrum auction seen to entice a 3rd major telco player

No cellphone signals in parts of Iloilo City during Dinagyang Festival
Organizers of the festival have earlier requested the shutdown of cellular signals for a peaceful and orderly celebration of the Dinagyang Festival

Bill to reform PH telco industry eyed by 2017
Putting more teeth into the National Telecommunications Commission and amending foreign ownership rules are among the reforms being eyed

PLDT, Globe reduce interconnection voice calls to P2.50
UPDATED With the reduced interconnection rates the NTC expects retail rates for voice calls to be lowered by about P1 per minute

NTC sets auction for 3rd telco frequencies in 2017
Among the companies interested to bid are Dennis Uy s Converge ICT Solutions Incorporated and Mel Velarde s Now Telecom

Senate bill seeks to ban expiration of prepaid, e-load
The measure seeks to protect consumers against deceptive unfair and unconscionable sales act and practices by telcos

Gov’t says 911 hotline charges to stay during transition period
While the President wants 911 emergency calls to be free the DILG says fees would be charged during the transition period to the new system

PLDT, Smart commit 3-year network rollout to NTC
According to the network rollout plan Smart is rapidly expanding both the coverage and capacity of its LTE service

Duterte retains Arroyo appointee Cordoba as NTC chief
Lawyer Gamaliel Cordoba has held the position of National Telecommunications Commission chief since he was appointed by former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2009
