GLOBE Telecom urged the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to formulate a cost manual that will determine access charge rates instead of pushing for a new interconnection template that clearly bypasses negotiations between two interconnecting parties.

“The Commission should focus and train its resources in coming up with rules on cost manual and the determination of cost for purposes of access charge determination,” said Globe head for regulatory affairs Froilan Castelo. “This we believe is the most relevant and raging issue affecting all carriers on interconnection.”

Access charge is the fee imposed by a carrier for calls by another that pass through its network.

The legality and constitutionality of the proposed reference access offer or RAO is seriously in question, Castelo said. He said that existing laws governing interconnection is explicit that interconnection can only be had through negotiations.

The  NTC’s RAO is the new template on interconnection agreement that spells out the terms and conditions carriers to access each other’s network.

The general provisions in the RAO are already spelled out in other rules and regulations on interconnection.

Globe is saying that the  new RAO template will nullify interconnection agreements currently in place among and between carriers.

SM Investments Corp. (SMIC), the holding company controlled by the country’s richest man Henry Sy, is planning to spend P95 billion over the next five years to finance the projects of its core subsidiaries.

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THE Philippines stock index rose, extending this month’s gain on optimism exports will rise after imports growth accelerated. International Container Terminal Services Inc. gained.

FOUR energy companies are eyeing to list their shares at the Philippine Stock Exchange in the near term, former energy chief Vincent S. Perez said in an interview.

SUBSCRIBERS to SMART Communications Inc. mobile-phone service  may soon be able to pick their own contact numbers.

GLOBE Telecom urged the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to formulate a cost manual that will determine access charge rates instead of pushing for a new interconnection template that clearly bypasses negotiations between two interconnecting parties.

 Washington Z. Sycip, now 85 years old, only left SGV and Co., which he co-founded in 1946 but did not retire. Since 1997, he has been a director MacroAsia Corp., which belongs to the Lucio Tan group of companies, and chairman of Lufthansa Technik Philippines Inc.