Police authorities and Globe Telecom’s security team have intensified their nationwide clampdown on unauthorized sale of international long distance calls in a bid to effectively utilize the telco’s revenues in enhancing wireline services.
They recently conducted a raid in Cebu City, nabbing a Korean restaurant owner and his Filipino business partner for hacking into the international gateway facilities (IGFs) of Globe. Arrested during the raid last August 9 was Jin Sung Kim, a Korean restaurant owner in Cebu City who is found to be engaging in illegal international simple resale (ISR) activities.
ISR refers to the unauthorized routing and completing of international long distance calls using lines, cables, antennae, and/or air wave frequency and connecting these calls directly to the local or domestic exchange facilities of the country where destined. ISR operators often lease dedicated lines to make direct calls abroad and use the facilities to sell international call minutes to consumers at a much lower price.
Globe said the rampant practice of international simple resale is robbing off network of revenues, which are supposed to be used to subsidize capital extensive local exchange networks that allows landline users to enjoy competitive monthly charges. Globe has been working with local government units and police forces for over a decade now in the battle against ISR syndicates.
