NTC to telcos: Stop collecting fees for paper bill delivery

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has prohibited telecommunications companies from charging fees for paper bill delivery.

The NTC issued Memorandum Circular 03-04-2018, mandating telcos that paper bills should be free of charge.

“Under the NTC order, or the ‘Guidelines on Electronic Billing’ (e-Billing), telco subscribers are given the option to receive electronic bills in lieu of paper bills. For those who will still opt to receive paper bills, the Commission mandated telcos to provide bills free of any charge,” the agency said in a statement.

The NTC urged subscribers who opted to receive electronic bills “to regularly check his email or other (media) of communication selected.”

The memo stated “that new subscribers shall exercise the options at the time of signing the contract for service.”

“If a subscriber opts to receive electronic bills, he/she shall provide an email address where the statement of account shall be forwarded. Telcos, however, may offer and/or use other mediums of communication, including web portals, provided notice to subscribers are made,” NTC said.

“The subscriber’s statement of account, among others, shall be sent electronically as agreed upon by both parties not later than thirty (30) days from the end of each monthly billing cycle,” it added.

The agency said that “subscribers who are currently using electronic bills and other ways of communications through designated emails, online portal access and/or other designated electronic options have the option to return back to receiving paper bills, subject to prior notice to, and procedures set by the concerned telco.”   /kga