85% of precincts to rely on SIM cards on May polls –Smartmatic

Transmission of votes for the May 9 elections will still rely mostly on SIM cards, considered to be cheaper than by satellite, according to technology provider Smartmatic.

In an interview with GMA News on Monday, Karen Jimeno, head of Smartmatic's voter education division, said 85 percent of all clustered precincts, or about 92,000, will be given three SIM cards each—from telecommunications companies Smart, Globe, and Sun—with which they would transmit votes to the canvassing centers.

There will only be 4,500 precincts that will transmit votes via satellite—a surer but more expensive way to do so.

Jimeno noted that it was the Comelec that decided on this, in line with budgetary constraints.

"The areas that failed to transmit in 2013, Smartmatic conducted a re-survey of those areas and the B-gans (satellites) will be in those areas," she said.

Some poll watchdogs have raised concerns over this move, given mobile signal problems encountered by common users.

Also, transmission had been problematic in the past automated elections, like in 2013, which saw a 77-percent transmission.

"That was the same problem in 2013," said Damaso Magbual of the Nationwide Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL). "They have to make sure that they will be able to transmit."

According to Jimeno, they have "contingency plans" to ensure 100 percent transmission for the May polls. "On the part of Smartmatic, there are also financial penalties if there is no 100-percent transmission," she said.

She also said that cases of failed transmission would not mean that votes will not be counted, adding that the SD cards in the vote counting machines with transmission trouble will be taken to the canvassing center.

"The results are always counted," she told GMA News. "Hindi nangyayari ever, even in past elections, na kung 10, 20 percent failure of transmission, it doesn't mean na 'yung boto hindi na-count... Kung merong failure ng electronic transmission, 'yung SD card (containing the votes of a clustered precinct) will be physically delivered."

The Comelec, meanwhile, is hoping that the telecommunication companies will be able to provide good service on election day.

The poll body is also looking to conduct a transmission readiness test before the elections. —Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/KBK, GMA News