The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is expanding its crackdown on poor mobile broadband service nationwide, putting greater pressure on network operators to address coverage and performance gaps as the regulator prepares additional show-cause orders and daily penalties.
The NTC clarified that mobile broadband speed validation is conducted regularly across the country through its regional offices, rather than being limited to Metro Manila.
“This enforcement action is not limited to the National Capital Region (NCR),” the regulator said.
The nationwide validation means operators face continuing regulatory scrutiny across their networks, with enforcement potentially affecting operations in multiple cities and municipalities where service falls below prescribed quality-of-service standards.
The NTC said mobile network operators are notified quarterly of barangays where validation detects weak or no signal and are directed to improve service.
Results of the September 2026 revalidation are being finalized. The regulator said it will issue corresponding show-cause orders and impose daily penalties, starting with cities and municipalities in NCR and other regions recording the highest incidence of weak or no signal.
The enforcement comes after the NTC said it issued a show-cause order against Smart Communications Inc. that carries a P100,000 daily administrative fine for continued failure to meet mobile broadband quality-of-service standards.
The NTC order provides that the daily penalty would run from Smart’s receipt of the notice until a subsequent NTC validation confirms compliance. However, the penalty remains disputed from Sma
