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MANILA - Meralco has asked regulators to allow consumers to use text messaging to monitor their electricity consumption once prepaid electricity service kicks off.
In a petition before the Energy Regulatory Commission, Manila Electric Company said text messaging offers a viable alternative to an installed in-home display or IHD for consumers to keep track of their electricity use.
Based on a market research conducted by Meralco in 2011, four out of six household members are not at home. Of the four, two are usually the household head or the bill manager.
"Thus, it is crucial that they are able to receive information as regards their prepaid service wherever they are," Meralco said.
Moreover, the utility said its survey revealed customers want the company to offer loading or top-up stations similar to telco loading centers in sari-sari stores, commercial centers and other establishments near their houses or place of work.
In the same research, Meralco said 83 percent of the company's C-mid and C-minus - or those whose electricity bills are between P3,400 and P1,800, and have a household income of between P38,515 and P25,724 a month, respectively - signified interest in subscribing to prepaid electricity once it is available.
The said Meralco customer segment number over 2.1 million.
Prepaid electricity would allow consumers to control their electricity consumption and expenses in the same way they use prepaid services for telecommunication needs.
At present, only Batangas Electric Cooperative 1 has filed a petition before regulators to allow it to implement prepaid electricity in its franchise area.
Meralco for its part plans to conduct a technical pilot test sometime in December before proceeding with prepaid electricity.
The country's largest private electricity distribution utility, Meralco is chaired by Manuel V. Pangilinan, who also chairs TV5, for which InterAksyon.com is the online news portal.
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