Globe Telecom Inc. on Friday said the late payment fee is “standard practice” in other sectors in Philippines and abroad.
The Ayala-led telco said the charge is standard practice for services with monthly recurring bills, including banks and credit card companies.
It added that telcos abroad also charge late payment fees.
Yolanda Crisanto, spokesperson of Globe said its customers are given at least 27 days after bill cut off to pay without the late payment fee.
“Given that most services including banks, fintech, credit cards, bill payment services, utilities like power and water all charge late payment fees for a long time, it is only now that telco customers are being asked to pay late payment fees,” she added.
The company also said the late payment fee is not a new fee but has been part of the Globe subscription agreement with its customers.
Globe will start enforcing late payment fees stipulated in the subscription agreement for mobile and broadband postpaid customers starting 1 December to encourage on-time payment of monthly dues and ensure uninterrupted services.
Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares had opposed Globe’s plan to penalize its postpaid subscribers for late payment, saying subscribers came to him complaining about the penalty.
I think that Globe should be considerate to their subscribers and scrap this fee. It should also improve its service instead of thinking about profit first,” Colmenares said.
“Why is it when there are disruptions in Globe’s signal or services for days and times there is no reduction in the monthly fee of subscribers, but now they are asking automatic P50 for late payment? They have not even given the refund to consumers when they overcharged their texting fees years back,” Colmernares said.
