NTC-10 issues investigation report on SCANTEL, submits it to legal dept

October 29, 2008

By Lizanilla J. Amarga

The regional office of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC-10) has now come out with an official report on the numerous violations committed by the project proponent of the P49 million Telepono sa Barangay project, Supplier Contractor and Networking Telecommunications (SCANTEL).
NTC-10 Teodoro Buenavista said they have completed their technical evaluation on SCANTEL and has submitted a formal report with corresponding attachments to their NTC commissioner through the NTC-Legal Department “for appropriate legal action.”
He said SCANTEL’s acts may have violated the Republic Act Providing for Regulation of Radio Stations and Radio Communications in the Philippine Islands, and for other purposes under Republic Act 3846, as amended, RA 7925 and other rules and regulations governing radio and telecom industry.
“But the whole thing could be summed-up as lack or absence of authority from NTC to undertake a radio telecom network project,” he told Gold Star Daily.
In his report, Buenavista said the project was undertaken by the City Government and awarded to SCANTEL in 2003 and how the City Government had requested the NTC– Central Office for an authority to establish a telephone system but was denied due to lack of Congressional Franchise.
He said the City Government decided to downgrade the project category into a Pubic Calling Office or Tele-center and the corresponding registration was granted in 2004 by NTC – Central Office in favor of the City Government of Cagayan de Oro as a Public Calling Office under NTC Registration No. CCAD-033-2004 issued on August 6, 2004 and valid only until August 5, 2005 ;
Buenavista said the City Government had entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with Philcom for its radio access as a requirement for the issuance of a Registration as Public Calling Office, thus, the radio Link was provided and licensed under Philcom Corporation.
“However the license is not renewed anymore,” he said.
Buenavista said this year 2008, SCANTEL decided to “reconfigure the existing network and installed multiple radio access points” to link the different Barangays in Cagayan de Oro City utilizing an AIRSPAN WDN equipment with eight voice/data channels and with operating frequency at 3.5 GHz.
But he said his team found out that only eight of these barangay telephone systems are actually working despite claims made by SCANTEL that it has successfully installed 15 of the 17 barangay telephones.
He said they also discovered that SCANTEL has not been exactly truthful with its permit as a communications equipment supplier as SCANTEL presented to the NTC-10 a copy of a Permit to Import WDN equipment under Permit No. FXMLSD-120-2008 dated February 29, 2008 issued by NTC Central Office but under Enhanced Electronics and Communications Services, Inc. as the permittee or the authorized importer.
“Why is it that the Permit is under a different name and not with SCANTEL?,” he said.
Two other findings were on how SCANTEL failed to present a copy of its NTC accreditation or permit as telecom supplier or dealer and that the AIRSPAN WDN or Wireless Data Network which is primarily intended for data services was installed by SCANTEL as “point-to-multi-point radio link for voice and data services.”
Buenavista said SCANTEL was able to present to their team a copy of an application for an authority to establish a radio network under a private radio communications network or a restricted network/inter-office network.
However, he said they conducted an evaluation and found out that there appears to be a “hybrid network” as “it operates as a regular telephone network using a traditional network where it can access outside calls.”
“Authority to establish a radio network has not been approved,” he said.
Buenavista said the two other findings were on how the Certificate of Registration issued to the City Government of Cagayan de Oro has already expired and that there was no Permit to Construct a Radio Communications Network issued to SCANTEL or City Government.
He said they also found out that there was no registration or Permit to Operate covering the AIRSPAN issued to SCANTEL or City Government of CDO and yet it proceeded to install such a communication system.
He added that they also have findings on how the frequency being utilized by SCANTEL is subject of a Court Injunction issued by a regional trial court in Quezon City.

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Written by admin · Filed Under Cagayan de Oro

Comments

One Response to “NTC-10 issues investigation report on SCANTEL, submits it to legal dept”

Bryan Champion on August 30th, 2011 1:26 am

Dear Sir/Maam. My name is Bryan Champion, my wife is Katrina Mae Champion formerly Abao. We are at present living in the UK with plans to return to the Philippines by November of this year 2011. Can you please advise of to whom we need to enquire to obtain permission and a licence for the supply and installation of FTA Satellite Receiver/Decoder and dish. We hope to set up a new venture registered with the correct authorities with the name of “Champion Digital & Satellite” supplying and installing FTA Satellite Receiver/Decoder and dish to the Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin Island and north Mindanao area with plans for expansion in the future. Yours respectfully Bryan Champion

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