Telecommunications in the Philippines

Facts and Figures

Telephones - main lines in use: 7.3 million (1997)

• 9 international gateways; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan

Radio broadcast stations: AM 369, FM 583, shortwave 5 (2003)

Radios: 11.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 233 + 1373 CATV networks (for list of television stations in the Philippines, see the Philippine section of Television network.)

Televisions: 3.7 million (1997)

Mobile Phone Users: 85.95 million (2010)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 93 (1999)

Internet Users: 29.8 million (2010)

Country code (Top level domain): PH

Internet

Main article: Internet in the Philippines

Area Codes

Philippine Tel Country Code: 63

Main article: Telephone numbering in the Philippines

Fixed-Line Phones

Destination	Province	Area Code
Abangan	Bulacan	4422
Abucay	Bataan	47
Agoo	La Union	72
Alaminos	Pangasinan	75
Alcala	Pangasinan	75
Alicia	Isabela	78
Alimodian	Iloilo	33
Alitagtag	Batangas	43
Angat	Bulacan	44
Angeles City	Pampanga	45
Antique	Aklan	36
Apalit	Pampanga	45
Aparri	Cagayan Valley	78
Argao	Cebu	3230
Asingan	Pangasinan	75
Atimonan	Quezon	42
Aurora	Isabela	78
Bacolod City	Negros Occidental	34
Bacolor	Pampanga	45
Bacoor	Cavite	46
Bagabag	Nueva Vizcaya	78
Bago	Negros Occidental	3461
Bagon-Taas	Bukidnon	88
Baguio City	Benguet	74
Bais	Negros Oriental	35
Balagtas	Bulacan	44
Balamban	Cebu	32
Balanga	Bataan	47
Balayan	Batangas	43
Baliuag	Bulacan	44
Ballesteros	Cagayan Valley	78
Balungao	Pangasinan	75
Bamban	Tarlac	45
Bambang	Nueva Vizcaya	78
Banate	Iloilo	33
Banaue	Ifugao	74
Bangued	Abra	74
Bani	Pangasinan	75
Bantay	Ilocos Sur	77
Basco	Batanes	78
Basista	Pangasinan	75
Batac	Ilocos Norte	77
Batangas City	Batangas	43
Bauan	Batangas	43
Bauang	La Union	72
Bautista	Pangasinan	75
Bayambang	Pangasinan	75
Bayawan	Negros Oriental	35
Bayombong	Nueva Vizcaya	78
Bayugan	Agusan del Sur	85
Binakayan	Cavite	46
Binalbagan	Negros Occidental	34
Binalonan	Pangasinan	75
Biñan City	Laguna	49
Binmaley	Pangasinan	75
Bislig	Surigao del Sur	8622
Boac	Marinduque	42
Bocaue	Bulacan	44
Bogo	Cebu	32
Bolinao	Pangasinan	75
Bontoc	Mountain Province	74
Boracay	Aklan	36
Bugallon	Pangasinan	75
Buguey	Cagayan Valley	78
Buhi	Camarines Sur	54
Bula	Camarines Sur	54
Bulacan	Bulacan	44
Bulan	Sorsogon	56
Bustos	Bulacan	44
Butuan City	Agusan del Norte	85
Cabadbaran	Agusan del Norte	85
Cabagan	Isabela	78
Cabanatuan City	Nueva Ecija	44
Cabarroguis	Quirino	78
Cabatuan	Isabela	78
Cabugao	Ilocos Sur	77
Cabuyao	Laguna	49
Cadiz	Negros Occidental	34
Cagayan de Oro City	Misamis Oriental	88,8822
Calabanga	Camarines Sur	54
Calamba City	Laguna	49
Calamba	Misamis Occidental	88
Calapan	Mindoro Oriental	43
Calasiao	Pangasinan	75
Calauag	Quezon	42
Calbayog	Western Samar	55
Calumpit	Bulacan	44
Camalaniugan	Cagayan Valley	78
Camalig	Albay	52
Camiguin	Camiguin	88
Camiling	Tarlac	45
Candelaria	Quezon	42
Candon	Ilocos Sur	77
Canlubang	Laguna	49
Canlubang Sugar Estate	Laguna	49
Caoayan	Ilocos Sur	77
Capas	Tarlac	45
Carcar	Cebu	32
Carmona	Cavite	46
Cauayan	Isabela	78
Cavite	Cavite	46
Cavite (Export Processing Zone Authority)	Cavite	46
Cebu City	Cebu	32
Clark Special Economic Zone	Pampanga	45
Claveria	Cagayan Valley	78
Concepcion	Tarlac	45
Cotabato City	Maguindanao	64
Cuenca	Batangas	43
Currimao	Ilocos Norte	77
Cuyapo	Nueva Ecija	44
Daet	Camarines Norte	54
Dagupan	Pangasinan	75
Damilag	Bukidnon	8853
Danao	Cebu	32
Dipolog	Zamboanga del Norte	65
Daraga	Albay	52
Dasmariñas	Cavite	46
Dasol	Pangasinan	75
Davao	Davao del Sur	82
Digos	Davao del Sur	82
Dinaig	Maguindanao	64
Dinalupihan	Bataan	47
Dingras	Ilocos Norte	77
Dipolog	Zamboanga del Sur	65
Don Carlos	Bukidnon	8851
Dumaguete	Negros Oriental	35
Dumangas	Iloilo	33
Echague	Isabela	78
Enrile	Cagayan Valley	78
Esclante	Negros Occidental	34
Espiritu	Ilocos Norte	77
Estancia	Iloilo	3397
First Cavite Industrial Estate	Cavite	46
Floridablanca	Pampanga	4597
Galmuyod	Ilocos Sur	77
Gapan	Nueva Ecija	44
General Santos	South Cotabato	83
Gingoog City	Misamis Oriental	8842
Gonzaga	Cagayan Valley	78
Greenhills	Metro Manila	2
Guagua	Pampanga	45
Gubat	Sorsogon	56
Guiginto	Bulacan	44
Guimba	Nueva Ecija	44
Gumaca	Quezon	42/4244
Hagony	Bulacan	44
Hermosa	Bataan	47
Hinigaran	Negros Occidental	34691
Iba	Zambales	47
Ibaan	Batangas	43
Ilagan	Isabela	78
Iligan City	Lanao del Norte	63
Iloilo	Iloilo	33
Imus	Cavite	46
Indang	Cavite	46
Infanta	Quezon	4235
Ipil	Zamboanga del Sur	62
Iriga	Camarines Sur	54
Irosin	Sorsogon	56
Isabela	Negros Occidental	34
Isulan	Sultan Kudarat	64
Jagna	Bohol	38
Javalera	Cavite	46
Jimenez	Misamis Occidental	88
Jose Panganiban	Camarines Norte	54
Kabankalan	Negros Occidental	34
Kalibo	Aklan	36
Kalookan City	Metro Manila	2
Kapatagan	Lanao del Norte	63
Kawit	Cavite	46
Kidapawan	North Cotabato	6423
Koronadal	South Cotabato	83
La Carlota	Negros Occidental	34
La Castellana	Negros Occidental	34
La Paz	Iloilo	33
La Trinidad	Benguet	74
Labo	Camarines Norte	54
Labrador	Pangasinan	75
Laguna International Industrial Park	Laguna	49
Laguna Technopark Industry	Laguna	49
Lal-lo	Cagayan Valley	78
Laoag	Ilocos Norte	77
Lapu-Lapu City	Cebu	32
Las Piñas	Metro Manila	2
Legaspi	Albay	52/5221
Lemery	Batangas	43
Libmanan	Camarines Sur	5446
Libon	Albay	52
Ligao	Albay	52
Light Industry & Science Park of the Philippines	Laguna	49
Liliw	Laguna	49
Limay	Bataan	47
Lingayen	Pangasinan	75
Lipa	Batangas	43
Lopez	Quezon	42
Los Baños	Laguna	49
Lubao	Pampanga	45/4593
Lucban	Quezon	42
Lucena	Quezon	42
Luisiana	Laguna	49
Luisita Industrial Park	Tarlac	45
Lumban	Laguna	49
Lutopan	Cebu	32
Mabalacat	Pampanga	45
Mabini	Pangasinan	75
Macabebe	Pampanga	45/4594
Mactan	Cebu	32
Magarao	Camarines Sur	54
Magsingal	Ilocos Sur	77
Majayjay	Laguna	49
Makati	Metro Manila	2
Malabon	Metro Manila	2
Malasiqui	Pangasinan	75
Malaybalay	Bukidnon	88
Mallig	Isabela	78
Malolos City	Bulacan	44
Mambajao	Camiguin	88
Mamburao	Mindoro Occidental	43
Mambusao	Capiz	36
Manaoag	Pangasinan	75
Manapla	Negros Occidental	34
Mandaluyong	Metro Manila	2
Mandaue	Cebu	32
Mangagoy	Surigao del Sur	8622
Mangaldan	Pangasinan	75
Mangatarem	Pangasinan	75
Manila	Metro Manila	2
Mankayan	Benguet	74
Marawi City	Lanao del Sur	63
Marcos	Ilocos Norte	77
Marikina	Metro Manila	2
Marilao	Bulacan	44
Mariveles (Bataan Export Processing Zone Authority)	Bataan	47
Masatol	Pampanga	45
Masbate	Masbate	56
Masinloc	Zambales	47
Mati	Davao Oriental	87
Matina	Davao	82
Mauban	Quezon	4251
Metro Cebu	Cebu	32
Metro Davao	Davao del Sur	82
Mexico	Pampanga	45
Meycauayan	Bulacan	44
Miagao	Iloilo	33
Midsayap	North Cotabato	6422
Molave	Zamboanga del Sur	62
Molino	Cavite	46
Muñoz	Nueva Ecija	44
Muntinlupa	Metro Manila	2
Nabua	Camarines Sur	54
Naga City	Camarines Sur	54
Nagcarlan	Laguna	49
Naic	Cavite	46
Narvacan	Ilocos Sur	77
Nasipit	Agusan del Norte	85
Nasugbu	Batangas	43/4396
Naujan	Mindoro Oriental	43
Navotas	Metro Manila	2
Norzagaray	Bulacan	44
Noveleta	Cavite	46
Oas	Albay	52
Olongapo	Zambales	47
Orani	Bataan	47
Orion	Bataan	47
Ormoc	Leyte	53
Oroquieta	Misamis Occidental	88
Ozamis	Misamis Occidental	88
Padre Garcia	Batangas	43
Pagadian City	Zamboanga del Sur	62
Pagbilao	Quezon	42
Pagsanjan	Laguna	49
Palo	Leyte	53
Panabo	Davao del Norte	84
Pandayan	Bulacan	44
Pandi	Bulacan	44
Paniqui	Tarlac	45
Paoay	Ilocos Norte	77
Parañaque	Metro Manila	2
Pasay City	Metro Manila	2
Pasig	Metro Manila	2
Passi	Iloilo	33
Pateros	Metro Manila	2
Piddig	Ilocos Norte	77
Pila	Laguna	49
Pili	Camarines Sur	54
Plaridel	Bulacan	44
Plaridel	Misamis Occidental	88344
Polangui	Albay	52
Polomolok	South Cotabato	83
Pontevedra	Capiz	36
Pozorrubio	Pangasinan	75
Prosperidad	Agusan del Sur	85
Puerto Princesa	Palawan	48
Pulilan	Bulacan	44
Quezon	Nueva Vizcaya	78
Quezon City	Metro Manila	2
Rosales	Pangasinan	75
Rosario	Batangas	43
Rosario	Cavite	46
Roxas	Capiz	36
Roxas	Isabela	78
Sagbat	Batangas	43
Saint Francis	Bulacan	4463
Samal	Bataan	47
Samar	Eastern & Northern Samar	55
San Carlos	Negros Occidental	34
San Carlos	Pangasinan	75
San Fabian	Pangasinan	75
San Fernando City	La Union	72
San Fernando City	Pampanga	45
San Ildefonso	Ilocos Sur	77
San Jose	Batangas	43
San Jose	Mindoro Occidental	43
San Jose	Nueva Ecija	44
San Juan	Batangas	43
San Juan	Metro Manila	2
San Manuel	Isabela	78
San Manuel	Pangasinan	75
San Marcelino	Zambales	4761
San Mateo	Rizal	2
San Mateo	Isabela	78
San Miguel	Bulacan	44
San Miguel	Isabela	78
San Narciso	Zambales	4765
San Nicolas	Ilocos Norte	77
San Nicolas	Pangasinan	75
San Pablo City	Laguna	49
San Pedro	Laguna	2
San Quintin	Pangasinan	75
San Rafael	Bulacan	44
San Vicente	Ilocos Sur	77
Sanchez-Mira	Cagayan Valley	78
Santa	Ilocos Sur	77
Santa Catalina	Ilocos Sur	77
Santa Cruz	Laguna	49
Santa Cruz	Marinduque	42
Santa Cruz	Zambales	47
Santa Lucia	Ilocos Sur	77
Santa Maria	Bulacan	44
Santa Maria	Ilocos Sur	77
Santa Maria	Pangasinan	75
Santa Rosa City	Laguna	49
Santa Rosa	Nueva Ecija	44
Santiago	Isabela	78
Santo Domingo	Ilocos Sur	77
Santo Tomas	Pangasinan	75
Sara	Iloilo	33
Sarangani	South Cotabato	83
Sariaya	Quezon	42
Sarrat	Ilocos Norte	77
Sasa	Davao	82
Silang	Cavite	46
Silay	Negros Occidental	34
Sinait	Ilocos Sur	77
Sipocot	Camarines Sur	54
Sison	Pangasinan	75
Solana	Cagayan Valley	78
Solano	Nueva Vizcaya	78
Solsona	Ilocos Norte	77
Sorsogon	Sorsogon	56
Sual	Pangasinan	75
Subic Bay Freeport Zone	Zambales	47
Sultan Kudarat	Maguindanao	64
Surallah	South Cotabato	83
Surigao	Surigao del Norte	86
Taal	Batangas	43
Tobacco	Albay	52
Tabuk	Kalinga	74
Tacloban	Leyte	53
Tacurong	Sultan Kudarat	64
Tagaytay	Cavite	46
Tagbilaran	Bohol	38
Tagoloan	Misamis Oriental	88
Tagudin	Ilocos Sur	77
Taguig	Metro Manila	2
Tagum	Davao del Norte	84
Talavera	Nueva Ecija	44
Talisay	Batangas	43
Talisay	Cebu	32
Tanauan	Batangas	43
Tanauan	Leyte	53
Tanay	Rizal	2
Tangub	Negros Occidental	34
Tanjay	Negros Oriental	35
Tanza	Cavite	46
Tarlac	Tarlac	45
Tawi-Tawi	Tawi-Tawi	68
Tayabas	Quezon	42793
Taytay	Rizal (province)	2
Tayug	Pangasinan	75
Tiaong	Quezon	4264
Tiwi	Albay	52
Toledo	Cebu	32
Trece Martirez	Cavite	46
Tubod	Lanao del Norte	63
Tuguegarao	Cagayan Valley	78
Tumauini	Isabela	78
Umingan	Pangasinan	75
Urbiztondo	Pangasinan	75
Urdaneta	Pangasinan	75
Valencia	Bukidnon	88
Valenzuela	Metro Manila	2
Victoria	Tarlac	45
Victorias	Negros Occidental	34
Vigan	Ilocos Sur	77
Villasis	Pangasinan	75
Virac	Catanduanes	52
Zamboanga City	Zamboanga del Sur	62
Zapote	Cavite	46

Mobile Phones

• Globe Telecom¹: 905, 906, 915, 916, 917, 926, 927, 935
• Smart Communications²: 907, 908, 909, 910, 918, 919, 920, 921, 928, 929, 939, 999
  • Red Mobile³: 938
• Sun Cellular: 922, 923, 932, 933

¹: Includes Globe Gizmo (postpaid/prepaid), Globe Handyphone (postpaid/prepaid), Globe Platinum (postpaid) and Touch Mobile (prepaid)
²: Includes Addict Mobile (postpaid/prepaid), Smart Buddy (prepaid), Smart Gold (postpaid), Smart Infinity (postpaid), Smart Kid (postpaid/prepaid), and Talk 'N Text (prepaid)
³: Red Mobile is a brand under CURE, Inc., a subsidiary of Smart Communications

Republic Acts affecting Telecommunications

• August 10, 1963: 3846, An act providing for the regulation of radio stations and radio communications in the Philippine Islands, and for other purposes.
• December 21, 1989: 6849, An act providing for the installation, operation and maintenance of public telephones in each and every municipality in the Philippines, appropriating funds therefor and for other purposes.
• March 1, 1995: 7925, An act to promote and govern the development of Philippine telecommunications and the delivery of public telecommunications services.

SMS

The Philippines is widely referred to as the SMS (i.e. texting) capital of the world. This is because ever since the advent of SMS, it has been a vital part of the Filipino lifestyle. SMS services are very common in the Philippines, from news briefs to multimedia services. Communication through SMS, also known as text messaging, was an important part of the 2001 overthrow of the Estrada government. Major telecommunications service providers expect that the number of mobile phones/subscribers will rise to 49 million, almost 60% of the population by 2005.

Calling to the Philippines

A lot of Filipinos work outside of their country and they keep contact with their families back home using calling cards to the Philippines because those are cheaper than direct calling.

Some people use e-mail or Instant messaging, but the preferred method is still the phone.

Rates: For 5 USD, a person can call the Philippines and talk for around 2 hours.(2008)

Telecommunications Regulatory Environment in the Philippines

LIRNEasia's Telecommunications Regulatory Environment (TRE) index, which summarizes stakeholders’ perception on certain TRE dimensions, provides insight into how conducive the environment is for further development and progress. The most recent survey was conducted in July 2008 in eight Asian countries, including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Pakistan, Thailand, and the Philippines. The tool measured seven dimensions: i) market entry; ii) access to scarce resources; iii) interconnection; iv) tariff regulation; v) anti-competitive practices; and vi) universal services; vii) quality of service, for the fixed, mobile and broadband sectors.

See also

• National Telecommunications Commission

External links

• National Telecommunications Commission