Globe, PLDT activate landline interconnection in Davao del Norte

 Globe Telecom said the local interconnection in Davao del Norte between its landline service, Globelines, and the Philippine Long Distance Co. has been commercially activated, allowing subscribers of both service providers to call each other without additional charges.

The development will allow landline customers of both Globe and PLDT to realize substantial savings as they no longer have to pay for long distance charges when calling one another.

Prior to the commercial activation of the interconnection, landline customers of both Globelines and PLDT were charged with long distance rate amounting to P5.00 per minute.

With the commercial availability of the interconnection, Globe subscribers can simply dial the seven-digit telephone number to connect with PLDT and vice-versa.

“We are delighted to announce that through collaboration and cooperation with competition, the company’s subscribers will have greater access to telecommunications and vice-versa. We are hoping that we will able to establish the same kind of collaboration in other areas of the country,” said Atty. Froilan Castelo, Head of Globe Corporate and Legal Services Group.

Such cooperation between the two companies is in line with the compulsory interconnection of authorized public telecommunications carriers under Republic Act 7925 which aims to create a universally accessible and fully integrated nationwide telecommunications network to encourage more infrastructure investments from the private sector that would benefit the consumers.

Globe and PLDT are also working on similar arrangements in Pangasinan, Zambales and Davao del Sur, Misamis Occidental and Ilocos Norte.

So far, the two companies have existing interconnection in Metro Manila, Cavite, Iloilo, Capiz, Batangas, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Leyte, Davao City, Pampanga, Bulacan, Zamboanga, Laguna, Quezon, La Union, Nueva Ecija, and Benguet, GenSan/South Cotabato and Tarlac.

Castelo added that the company is open for discussions with other local exchange carriers as part of its goal of providing cost-effective services to its customers.