The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Thursday rejected NOW Telecom Company Inc.’s request to extend its provisional authority to operate a nationwide mobile telecommunications network. In a unanimous decision dated 19 March 2024, the NTC declared NOW Telecom’s authority “inoperative” due to non-compliance with several regulatory and operational requirements. These include significant underutilization of spectrum, a lack of infrastructure rollout, and over P3.57 billion in unpaid regulatory fees.
The NTC found that NOW Telecom had failed to meet the conditions of its provisional license, which include the installation of 2,306 base stations—of which only six were installed in Metro Manila—and the required capital investment of P1.9 billion. The company also fell short on paying overdue spectrum user fees and supervision fees, which the Supreme Court had upheld in previous rulings. The NTC emphasized that NOW Telecom’s ongoing violations justified the denial of the extension, citing the company’s lack of progress and failure to meet key deadlines outlined in its 2020 order.
This decision highlights the regulatory significance of spectrum allocation and telecom companies’ adherence to licensing conditions. The NTC said that the radio frequency spectrum is a limited public resource, and the Commission is empowered to revoke or withhold licenses from non-compliant operators in accordance with the law.
