PH fixed broadband internet speed continues to surge in March

THE Philippines’ fixed broadband average download speed continued its surge for March 2021, according to the Ookla Speedtest Global Index report.

The country registered 7.79 Mbps, or a 20.25 percent increase in speed from the recorded 38.46 Mbps in February, jumping to 46.25 Mbps for this month.

“The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) shall continue to support and monitor the performance of telecommunications companies (telcos) and internet service providers (ISPs) to ensure their intensified efforts to improve internet service performance this year,” Secretary Gregorio Honasan II said.

The March 2021 fixed broadband average download speed increase is the highest jump since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office.

It also represents a 484.70 percent increase compared to the country’s download speed of 7.91 Mbps back in July 2016.

As for the mobile network average download speed, there is a slight dip from the 26.24 Mbps recorded in February to 25.43 Mbps for March 2021. However, there is still a significant increase of 241.80 percent from the download speed of 7.44 Mbps back in July 2016.

Duterte challenged telcos to shape up the country’s internet speed and quality during his 5th State of the Nation Address last year.

“This was to ensure that our country’s internet connectivity will be on par or even better than that of our Asian neighbors,” DICT said in a press release.

The DICT and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered telcos and ISPs to submit their respective rollout plans for 2021 for easier compliance and progress monitoring.

DICT said further positive developments in internet speed are in the works as DITO Telecommunity commercially launched its services in selected areas of Visayas and Mindanao last March 8. The intensified market competition is expected to continually improve the country’s global standing in terms of internet speed in the coming months.

Recently, DITO Telecommunity, the country’s third telco player, expanded its coverage to two new areas in Cebu, Compostela and Cordova.

It has also launched its services in selected areas in Luzon and Mindanao namely in Malvar, Tanauan, Lipa City and Santo Tomas, in Bantangas; Baliuag, Bulacan; Silang and Tagaytay in Cavite; Los Baños and Calamba in Laguna; Palayan, Santa Rosa, Science City of Muñoz, Talavera and Cabanatuan in Nueva Ecija; Tarlac City, Capas, Concepcion and Gerona in Tarlac; and General Santos City in South Cotabato.

DITO initially launched in Metro Cebu areas namely the cities of Carcar, Cebu, Danao, Mandaue, Naga and Talisay and the towns of Consolacion, Liloan, Minglanilla and San Fernando. /