Globe asks NTC to compel DITO to pay PHP 622M penalty for violating interconnect agreement

Globe has asked the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to require DITO Telecommunity to pay for interconnect penalties amounting to PHP 622USD 11INR 899EUR 10CNY 77 million.

According to Globe, the penalties were brought about by fraudulent calls placed through DITO’s network to Globe, bypassing proper voice traffic channels. The penalty covers one year, from July 2021 to July 2022, and has ballooned due to DITO’s refusal to compensate Globe.

An average of 1,000 fraudulent calls, which are identified as international in origin but masked as local calls, were allowed to pass through DITO’s network to Globe users every day, which Globe says is in violation of interconnect rules. Globe, to compare, said that zero or no bypass traffic has been allowed to pass from Globe to DITO due to its advanced monitoring systems and sophisticated network protection from illegal calls.

Globe says that reports of fraudulent calls continue to illegally pass through DITO’s network.

Globe asked the NTC to authorize its temporary disconnection of interconnection trunk lines with DITO until the latter has “taken positive and concrete steps to stop all illegal bypass operations emanating from its network” and paid all its outstanding liabilities to Globe for fraudulent calls.

Globe pointed out that fraudulent traffic continues to rise despite DITO’s assurance that it has improved its Fraud Management System capability to block illegal calls.

“Clearly, DITO has not only failed to compensate Globe, it also has not taken any serious actions to curtail bypass activities emanating from its network and terminating in Globe’s. Indeed, these bypass activities have not waned but have in fact continuously increased over the said period. DITO’s twin failures to check these bypass activities and pay Globe what it is justly due have worked on a continuing serious prejudice against Globe,” Globe said in its pleading.

“Moreover, these unabated illegal activities have placed the interconnection trunks at serious risk of abuse and the resultant undue congestion of the network, to the detriment of the subscribers,” it said.

Globe said that it has remained true to its interconnectivity deals with DITO, including domestic voice and SMS in November 2020, landline in March 2021, and the Cellular Mobile Telephone Systems International Gateway Facility (CMTS – IGF) in September 2021.

The agreements allow local voice and text traffic to pass between users of the two networks, and also international mobile calls through DITO’s and Globe’s international partners or via roaming service.

The parties completed local interconnection for Globe-DITO mobile voice and SMS in April 2021 and the Innove/Bayan-DITO local landline and mobile interconnection in May 2022. The Innove/Bayan–DITO IGF (international) interconnection is in the works and set for completion within the year.

Entering into network interconnect agreements enables good customer experience and allows for competition to thrive in the telecom sector. This enablement is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which underscore the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development.

The move is also part of the company’s commitment to comply with directives of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).