By Monsi A. Serrano
The National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC’s) report of improved internet services in the country in recent months has failed to impress Malacañang, which underscored the need for telecommunications firms to strive to be “world-class.”
During an online briefing this week, NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba cited test results from third party internet analytics company, Ookla, which showed an improvement in internet speeds in the country.
Cordoba said Ookla’s speed test showed that the fixed download speed in the Philippines was 28.69 mbps in November, this year; and pointed out that this was a 262.7-percent increase compared to the download speed of 7.91 mbps in 2016.
Likewise, the mobile download speed for November, this year hit 18.49 mbps, also an increase by 148.52 percent from only 7.44 mbps in 2016.
Cordoba also said that fixed broadband speed in the Philippines is now ranked 32nd of 50 countries in Asia; and that mobile broadband speed puts the Philippines at No. 34 in the region.
However, the NTC’s report drew a wry comment from Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque Jr., who said the country’s telecoms companies should strive to make internet speed and services in the Philippines world-class.
“Our countrymen also want what Globe and Smart want and that is to be world-class. Let’s be honest, at number 34 in Asia, I don’t think we are world class,” President Duterte’s mouthpiece said.
Roque did not mince words in saying that connectivity is not a privilege, but “has become a human right” and, as such, telecommunications companies have a responsibility to continue improving its services.
“I think we are one in recognizing that we need to be world-class,” he said, addressing the telecos. “Let us know what you need from the government because what is important is to provide world-class service to Filipinos.”
At the weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay online forum, government reported the approval of 2,220 applications to construct common-use towers in response to President Duterte’s order earlier this year to fast-track processes to improve telecommunications in the country.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said that “the construction of these common cell sites would help improve internet speed and access in the country by a great deal.”
“Right now we have 22,405 towers all over the country. (The) target is to have 50,000 more cell towers,” said Malaya.
He added that 700 more applications to build common towers are still pending. “The ball is now in the court of the telcos to improve their service,” he said.
In separate statements, Globe and PLDT promised greater strides in 2021 to further improve internet services through bigger investments in telecommunications infrastructure.
“As we have said, the service will continually improve as the rollouts happen. You will see incremental increases. In 2021, that would be felt even more because the builds of Globe and PLDT will expand,” said Globe president and CEO Ernest Cu.
For his part, PLDT Chief Revenue Officer and Smart President and CEO Alfredo Panlilio said: “We are putting a lot of budget on infrastructure. It has also been my focus to improve customer care and experience. It’s a task that we need to do and we will for sure commit to do.”