The consuming public can expect a “gift” before Christmas as telecommunication companies promise to adopt a new billing system by December, Sen. Manuel Roxas II said Tuesday.

Roxas said cellular phone bills are expected to go down significantly starting next January with the new six second per pulse billing method that would be implemented by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

The telecommunication firms have agreed to the order of the NTC but have asked to be given until December so they could upgrade their software facilities for the matter.

“Natupad na natin ang pangakong gawing mas patas ang ibinabayad natin sa mga telcos (We have fulfilled our promise to make consumer bills to telcos more fair),” said Roxas, chairman of the Senate trade and commerce committee investigating complaints against the country’s giant telecommunications firms.

“Ang tagal na nating hinihintay na ibaba ng mga telcos ang halaga ng kanilang mga serbisyo. Ngayon, makakasiguro na tayo na hindi na nila mananakaw ang mga load na hindi naman talaga natin nagagamit (We have long been waiting for these telcos to bring down the prices of their services. Now, we can be sure that they can no longer steal our unused loads),” he added.

The NTC has issued Memorandum Circular 05-07-2009 mandating a six-second per pulse billing system for Globe Telecoms, Smart Telecommunications and Sun Cellular and their subsidiaries.