THE National Telecommunications Commission has cut the registration fees for Bluetooth- and WiFi-enabled phone and computer devices to help manufactuters lower their production costs.

In a draft Memorandum Circular, the regulator cut the registration fees of Bluetooth- and WiFi-enabled phone and computer devices with 100 milliwatts effective istropic radiated power to P25 from P100.

Units with EIRP below 100 milliwatts require no registration fee.

The regulator said the registration fees imposed by the earlier Memorandum Circular 09-09-2003 on mobile phone and computer devices have significantly increased the prices of the said devices.

The NTC’s move to amend the existing circular came on the heels of a request of a local phone manufacturer to review the order because of the negative impact on its bottomline.

The circular requires the registration of indoor equipment and devices such as WLAN-enabled computers, Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones, Bluetooth-enabled portable computers and personal digital assistants.

Gamaliel Cordoba, NTC chief said the draft cicular is subject to change as the regulator will conduct public consultations on the proposed modifications.

A public hearing is scheduled on October 24.

As of June, the total number of registered Bluetooth- and WiFi-enabled devices stood at 4.43 million for a total collection of P442.71 million.

Earlier, David Lim, president of Solid Broadband Corp. said the circular serves as disincentive to Filipino manufacturers.

Solid Broadband is the manufacturer of MyPhone.

Lim said the registration fee rewards individuals or entities who have successfully dodged the regulatory radar of the Bureaus of Customs and of Internal Revenue, as well as the NTC through the illegal importation of phones.

He said that foreign brands of mobile phones have misdeclared their actual imports, resulting in revenue losses for the government.

The local phone manufacturer also urged the government to check the WDN or Bluetooth registration of those foreign brand handsets and correlate the same with data from BIR and BOC.