Calling Per Pulse Within A Cellphone Network

It is already more than twenty (20) days since December 6, 2009 when the cellphone calls within the same network must be charged on per pulse (6 seconds) basis but how many among us have availed of the new billing system? By now, the per-pulse billing on cellphone calls to other network must also have been in place had our cellular phone companies complied with NTC Memorandum Circular No. 05-07-2009, but what is happening? The issue of per pulse billing and its cost benefits to the consuming public may have taken the sidelight due to the frenzy of the Christmas season that we currently celebrate. Be that as it may, I wish to post here the compliance made by the cellphone companies on calls within their own networks and at the same time make the necessary corrections on my previous article entitled “Implementing Per Pulse Charging On Cellphone Calls“. I also wish to extend my sincere thanks to dodimar of Marvin’s Place for updating our subject by way of posts in my said article.

Here are the charges and the dialing procedures on the per pulse charging for your cellphone  calls within your telco’s network:

A. Smart To Smart (Talk ‘N Text included): A flag-down rate of P3 will be charged on the first two pulses (or 12 seconds) and P0.31 (for Talk ‘N Text) and P0.43 (for Smart Buddy, Smart Gold, and Infinity) on the succeeding pulses of the first minute.‪ For succeeding minutes, P0.55 (for Talk ’N Text) and P0.65 (for Smart Buddy, Smart Gold, and Infinity) per pulse will be charged. This will apply to domestic calls when using and/or calling postpaid (Smart Gold and Infinity) and prepaid services (Smart Buddy and Talk ‘N Text).

Instead of just dialing the party you want to call using the number listed in your phone book (normally with “0” or “+63” prefix), you need to change the number (prefix + subscriber number) as follows:

a) When calling postpaid Smart Gold or Infinity subscriber – *543309xxxxxxxxx

b) When calling a prepaid Smart Buddy subscriber – *543409xxxxxxxxx

c) When calling a prepaid Talk ‘N Text subscriber – *225509xxxxxxxxx

NOTE: Dialing only the usual 09xxxxxxxxx will get you charged PhP5.50/minute if you call a Talk ‘N Text subscriber and PhP6.50/minute when you call a Smart Gold, Infinity or Buddy subscriber. Details of the above information can be found at http://smart.com.ph/corporate/newsroom/Perpulseadvisory.htm

B. Globe To Globe (Touch Mobile included): Instead of per six-second pulse charging,  the calls within Globe network are now billed per second. The new rates are PhP0.10/second for calls within Globe/Touch Mobile (TM) network from Monday to Saturday and PhP0.05/second on Sundays. These rates can be availed by using a Globe/TM cellphone when calling another Globe/TM subscriber by dialing as follows:

a) If you are a Globe subscriber – enter 2329xxxxxxxxx then press SEND.

b) If you are a TM subscriber – enter 8039xxxxxxxxx then press SEND.

C. Sun Cellular: I did not find any advisory by the company as of the time I am writing this article.

If you will ask why the use of different prefix numbers instead of the default “0” prefix when dialing, the cellular phone companies cited Guideline No. 3 of the circular which says: “Subscribers may opt to be billed on a one (1) minute per pulse basis or to subscribe to unlimited service offerings or any service offerings if they actively and knowingly enroll in the scheme“. Why such provision? We could only guess and your guess is as good as mine.