NTC seeks comment on draft WiLL rules

The Philippines’ telecoms regulator the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has given domestic telecoms operators ten days to submit their opinions concerning draft regulations that would remove restrictions on the use of wireless local loop (WiLL) frequencies in the country, Business World reports. The NTC has already issued draft rules designed to reallocate WiLL frequency spectrum for broadband wireless access (BWA) use by fixed, nomadic and mobile network operators, and removing the restrictions previously imposed on market players. The new draft legislation would also allow WiLL frequency holders to offer advanced broadband services such as WiMAX. As the likes of Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT), Digital Telecommunications Philippines (Digitel) and Multimedia Telephony Inc already hold such WiLL frequencies, they would all be able to offer standard cellular mobile telephone services (i.e. nationwide SMS and voice calls) if the rules are applied.