A bill promising cheaper and more accessible internet for everyone has cleared a major hurdle. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed House Bill 10699, also known as the Sana All May Internet Act on August 21. The bill received a unanimous 203-0 vote.
This legislation aims to make internet access more affordable by eliminating the spectrum users fee (SUF) that telcos pay the government for using specific frequencies. By removing this fee, HB 10699 hopes to incentivize Wi-Fi infrastructure development, which could eventually lead to lower internet service costs for end users.
The bill will also prohibit the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commissions (NTC) from collecting any fees from telcos for their use of designated Wi-Fi frequencies.
In addition, the Sana All May Internet Act aims to accelerate internet use in the country and expand coverage in unserved and underserved areas to make internet connectivity more reliable, accessible, and affordable to all.
Now before we all get excited with the bill, take note that it still needs to be passed by the Senate and signed by the President before becoming law. Stay tuned.
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