PLDT, Smart fastest fixed, mobile networks in first half of 2018

MANILA, Philippines — Leading telco provider PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) have been recognized for being the fastest fixed and mobile networks for the first half.

In a report, global internet testing and analysis firm Ookla named Smart as the Philippines’ Speedtest Awards winner for both fixed and mobile network speed.

Smart achieved a speed score of 14.98, with average download speeds of 17.25 Mbps and average upload speeds of 7.65 Mbps, while its rival Globe Telecom recorded a speed score of 9.93, with average download speeds of 11.11 Mbps and average upload speeds 5.12 Mbps.

The fixed network award is based on 29,076,090 user-initiated Speedtest nationwide for the same period.

Sky came in second with a speed score of 10.89 folllowed by Smart Bro ( 9.79)  and Globe (6.58).

Initial data included in Ookla’s country reports also showed Smart posting big leads in key cities like Quezon City, Makati and Manila, while PLDT was  way ahead in Quezon City, Pasig and Manila.

In Quezon City, for example, Smart posted a speed score of 24.09 Mbps, more than twice the speed of the competing network.  This reflects the results of the major network upgrade activities that Smart recently undertook in the city, including the activation of LTE-Advanced and carrier aggregation.

PLDT attributed its fast service to continued efforts to invest.  It has earmarked $5 billion for upgrade of its network through 2020.

“Alongside Smart’s ramped-up Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) roll out, PLDT is also aggressively rolling out its fiber broadband service, which also supports the stepped-up deployment of the mobile network by providing high-capacity links for cellular base stations,” the company said.

PLDT and Smart senior vice president for network planning and engineering Mario Tamayo said the award is proof that the firm’s investments in upgrading its network to improve the mobile internet experience of Filipinos all over the country are paying off. 

 “Improved connectivity has had a direct impact on the Filipino way of life, enhancing the lives of residents and travelers alike, boosting incomes of local businesses, and empowering individuals, organizations and local governments,” Tamayo said.

Ookla executive vice president Jamie Steven said the awards received by PLDT and Smart are a testament to their exceptional performance to customers.

For the mobile speed test, the speed score incorporates a measure of each provider’s download and upload speed to rank network speed performance. Tests used to calculate the speed score exclusively come from “modern devices”, which are capable of connecting to the market’s fastest, generally available technology.

For fixed, Ookla assesses the best network speeds attained across a given network, accounting for tests that are taken on various Speedtest applications that connect to a fixed network, including tests taken on mobile phones over a Wi-Fi connection. Each top carrier accounts for at least three percent of the sample size in the geographic area.

Smart is on track toward to fulfill its commitment to the National Telecommunications Commission to cover 90 percent of the country’s cities and municipalities with mobile data service by the end of this year.

It is also doubling the number of LTE base stations to about 17,700 nationwide and raising the number of LTE-equipped cell sites to more than 6,800 by the first quarter of 2019, using frequencies that are compatible with CA-capable smartphones available in the market today.