Smart asks NTC to recall and bid out Altimax radio frequencies
PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has filed a complaint with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) against Altimax Broadcasting Co. (Altimax) and Globe Telecom subsidiary Innove Communications, Inc. (Innove) for the illegal use of radio frequencies, asking that Altimax radio frequencies be recalled and made available to qualified applicants under competitive public bidding.
In its complaint, Smart stressed that Altimax’ lease of its broadcast frequencies to Globe in 2009 for the latter’s use in providing wireless broadband services was patently illegal from the start since such arrangement was not authorized by Congress and the NTC and worse was entered into at a time when Altimax had already lost its legislative franchise due to non-operation.