DITO

Number of telco subscribers who switched to Dito negligible

October 19, 2021 People's Tonight 526 views

CONTRARY to expectations, the number of telco subscribers who have switched networks under the mobile number portability (MNP) is very insignificant.

Many believed that a large portion of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), Smart Communications and Globe Telecom clients would transfer to Dito Telecommunity, the third telco player in the country, amid the company’s promos right and left of providing cheaper and faster internet.

However, the Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. (TCI), the joint venture company of telcos charged with the task of handling the MNP where a subscriber from one telco can transfer to another carrying the same mobile number, had only recorded 800 take ups out of the more than 100 million subscriber base.

The said figure is gravely lower than TCI head Melanie Manuel’s estimate that at least one million subscribers were expected to switch networks when she unveiled the MNP that was passed into law and implemented starting Sept. 30, 2021.

Manuel, a graduate of Industrial Engineering from tje University of Santo Tomas and formerly connected with Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. made her forecast in July.

In a television interview, Manuel said only 800 out of a subscriber base of 100 million had transferred to Dito.

The mobile switching is expected to expand the number of Dito’s subscribers.

The third telco player aims to attract Globe and Smart subscribers and gain at least 30% of the total market share within its first few years of operations. This translates to 20-25 million customers.

As of October 19, 2021, the price share of Dito is P7.09 compared to P3,108 of Globe and P1,620 of PLDT.

The TCI, according to its bylaws, is the industry body tasked to resolve complaints involving mobile switching.

It also formed a transfer protocol wherein the switch could be finished within four hours and a mobile switcher could transfer to another telco after 60 days.

There is no limit to the transfer of subscribers among the telcos — Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.-Smart Communications, Globe Telecom at Dito Telecommunity.

AUTHOR PROFILE