The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has appealed to local government units and homeowners associations to allow the entry of telco frontliners to ensure uninterrupted Internet connection in the country during the lockdown period.
The agency made the appeal after receiving reports from various telecommunication companies that their frontliners tasked to do repair works on fixed broadband access cabinets were being prevented to enter gated villages due to the community quarantine.
“I appeal to LGUs and homeowners to allow the entry of our telco frontliners into their communities to ensure that we will have a dependable Internet connection in the coming days,” said NTC commissioner Gamaliel A. Cordoba in a statement.
The Inter-Agency Task Force on the Covid-19 pandemic earlier clarified that telco personnel are among the public utility providers mandated by the ECQ to remain operational.
“Telecommunications now serve as one of our lifelines. Having Internet at home or mobile data allows us to keep updated with the Covid-19 crisis, and helps us get connected with our loved ones,” Cordoba added.
According to a telco executive, there has been a surge of over 40% in residential data traffic due to the ECQ implementation.
Given the spike in Internet demand in residential areas, Cordoba deemed “having steady and efficient Internet access in the coming weeks to be absolutely necessary.”
