NEWSFLASH

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PLDT POSTPONES METERING TO APRIL '99

Manila, May 9, 1998 - The Philippine Long Distance Company will start phone metering in April of 1999 instead of November 1998., but will charge higher rates for extra minutes of phone use.

Under the plan, PLDT subscribers would have to pay a flat rate for not less than 800 free minutes each month, plus an additional ten centavos to forty centavos per minute in excess of the monthly allocation.

The National Telecommunications Commission gave PLDT authorization to start metering phones by November, but the firm is not yet ready to implement the scheme.

George Lim, PLDT senior vice president for market planning, said they cannot do anything yet until the final accounting rate figure is determined and the usage pattern is clearly established. He added that the phone company may give business subscribers more call time allocation than residential users.

"We are considering giving business subscribers about 1,000 free minutes because they are already paying a higher monthly charge. I think they are entitled to a higher usage allowance," Lim said.

Lim said the metering system may first be implemented in Metro Manila; the new scheme is scheduled for nationwide application before the end of 1999.

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