Below is a press release from our group, TXTPower, issued on Saturday:

To solve “vanishing load” scam, NTC must lower rates, ban spam — TXTPower

The National Telecommunications Commission must “do more” than extend the expiry of prepaid load to decisively end the issue of “vanishing prepaid load” that is bedeviling the country’s more than 70 million mobile phone subscribers.

In a press conference, consumer advocacy group TXTPower.org Inc. (TXTPower) said that “the absurdly short expiry load, arguably the shortest in the whole world, is the least of consumers’ problems. To solve “vanishing load”, the NTC must exercise its powers to immediately lower rates for cellphone calls, text messaging and other mobile phone services. The NTC must also crack down on telcos and content providers that abuse their licenses by sending millions of spam messages,” said TXTPower president Anthony Ian Cruz.

Palm will announce on July 7 the details of Pre’s launch in the United Kingdom, says a T3.com report.

On that day, the launch date, price, and the network — which the Guardian reports as O2, the same network that carries the iPhone in the UK — will be revealed.

Tech sites reported last month that the Pre will be in Europe by September this year.

Earlier this week, there were reported sightings of the Pre’s GSM version in London and Vietnam.

The Philippines’ major telcos also use the GSM system.

I just learned from Migs Mobile and ABS-CBN News that Smart  is bringing HTC Magic, a Google Android-powered smart phone, to the Philippines.

HTC Philippines country manager Mark Sergio reportedly said that Smart will start shipping units of the HTC Magic to the local market by the end of June.

Update from YugaTech: Globe was able to sell HTC Magic starting last week, and will be able to do so until Smart’s exclusive contract with HTC takes effect.