Businesses that want to import or sell used and refurbished phones would need proof of paid-up capital of PHP 20 million to PHP 50 million under draft rules from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), local media reported.
The capital requirement is part of a Refurbished Mobile Phone Dealer Permit the NTC presented at a public hearing on September 23. CTRL+PH reported the proposal on September 30, before the capital figure was reported.
The Times said applicants would also have to submit business registration documents, a local business permit, and proof that their devices come from legitimate sources. Permits would be valid for one year and renewable if the dealer stays compliant.
The draft lists a PHP 500 filing fee, a PHP 2,500 annual permit fee per branch, and a PHP 1,500 yearly inspection fee per branch. Violations would carry a PHP 5,000 fine for each offense or unit, and repeated or willful violations could lead to suspension or revocation of the permit, subject to due process.
The rules would also cover modems, routers, and other customer premises equipment, not only phones and tablets.
The NTC said initial comments touched on protecting manufacturers’ intellectual property and other reserved rights. It accepted public comments until October 1.