Lawmaker laments Philippines' slow but expensive internet

MANILA, Philippines -  Makati Rep. Luis Campos Jr. lamented yesterday that the country ranks 100th in online connection speed globally despite having one of the most expensive internet services in the world.

Quoting a report by American firm Akamai Technologies Inc., he said the Philippines had an average internet speed of 5.5 mpbs in the first quarter of this year, against No. 1 ranked South Korea’s 28.6 mbps. 

Paraguay had the slowest speed at 1.4 mbps.

In Asia-Pacific, Campos said the Philippines had the slowest at 5.5, compared to Thailand’s 16 mbps, Vietnam’s 9.5 mbps, Malaysia’s 8.9 mbps and Indonesia’s 7.2 mbps. 

He has filed Bill 5337, which he said would compel telecommunications service providers to improve their networks and service, “including escalating connection speeds within prescribed deadlines, under pain of heavy fines.”

“This is the best solution to the country’s supply of sluggish, inefficient and costly internet services. Our initiative is in keeping with the view of the United Nations Human Rights Council that all people have a right to internet access, or the right to broadband, in order to exercise and enjoy other fundamental rights,” he said. 

Campos claimed that the defect lies in the law itself, which he said considers internet as a “value-added service, making it difficult if not impossible for the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to require higher standards.”

“Right now, even if the NTC calls for compliance with faster connection speeds, internet service providers would simply say they hope to eventually meet the terms, but not for now. And should regulators force the issue, they are vulnerable to civil lawsuits by defiant service providers,” he said.

He said his bill redefines internet service as “a prime telecommunications function within the jurisdiction and regulatory power of the NTC.” 

Under the measure, internet service providers that fail to deliver accelerating connection speeds within fixed deadlines face up to P100,000 in daily fines that could last up to 500 days, or reach up to P50 million, for every instance of non-compliance.