JaypeeOnline

Even though I’m not based in the Philippines, I do my best to keep up-to-date with the latest news and trends in my home country especially with things concerning technology. One of the talked about topics in recent months is the planned merger or share-swap agreement between telcoms PLDT and Digitel.

Many people are aware about the planned merger but because of the complexity of the issues, most people don’t know exactly what are the things involved or what the implications would be if such a merger would push through. Today, I’ll be sharing with you an infographic provided by TXTm8, a consumer advocacy group spearheaded by students of the University of the Philippines.

This infographic aims to inform the public (people who will be seriously affected by this merger) – a short history of the telecommunications industry in the Philippines and the benefits of competition, including TXTm8′s proposed win-win solution to this issue – to make the NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) implement its 2007 Competition Policy Document which shows us how countries like Singapore, Canada, U.S.A., Thailand, Malaysia and the European Union deal with telecom operators who have control of the market.

[click here to view a larger version of the image]

Aside from the infographic, TXTm8 has also provided a 4-page primer or FAQ that can answer your questions regarding this issue. As an additional resource, you can check out this post regarding Regulating Inter-Connection.

Even though I love the game Monopoly, as a consumer I always prefer to have competition over monopoly. Based on what has happened in the past and personal experience, competition allows consumers to get more and better products/services at an affordable price.

What are your thoughts on the proposed PLDT-Digital merger or share-swap agreement? Do you agree with this merger/share-swap agreement or not? What do you think of TXTm8′s proposed solution? Please share your thoughts.