By Hannah L. Torregoza
The Senate conducted a public hearing on “nakaw load” or the disappearance of prepaid mobile loads yesterday.
Sen. Bam Aquino, chairman of Senate Committee on Science and Technology that conducted the hearing following numerous complaints, expressed hope that the country’s two giant telecommunications companies would finally come up with a concrete mechanism notifying prepaid subscribers through text messages of their transactions each time their load is being used.
Aquino said one of the key problems hounding cellphone subscribers is their accidental subscription to Value-Added Services being offered by Globe Telecom Inc. and Smart Communications Inc.
“In the next hearing, by the end of March, we hope that the telcos would be able to mention that they are following this solution and that we will receive a notification from every load deducted from us subscribers,” Aquino said.
“And if we see something that is not right, we have enough time to complain and get a refund,” he said.
Aquino said prepaid subscribers are burdened by VAS, especially those who never had any intention to “opt in” to any info texts and other multimedia services such as ringtones and wallpapers.
“I think the problem is the VAS, especially when you never wanted to opt in but you were charged either double or triple times for every transaction,” Aquino said.
“Bawat bawas, bawat pasok dapat meron po tayong notification at bawat subscriber pwedeng itago ang thread na iyan para may pruweba tayo kung saan napupunta ‘yung pera sa ating load wallet,” he added.
“It’s a very simple solution and we’re hoping that the two telcos can agree to it already,” Aquino said.
