Philippines fixed broadband speed gains in March

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s average fixed broadband download speed recorded an improvement in March, data from the latest Ookla Speedtest Global Index showed.

Fixed broadband download speed increased to 46.25 Mbps in March, up 20.25 percent from 38.46 Mbps in February.

It was also a 484.70-percent jump from the download speed of 7.91 Mbps back in July 2016.

Mobile network performance, on the other hand, slightly dipped as the country yielded an average download speed of 25.43 Mbps in March from 26.24 Mbps the previous month.

The current mobile network performance, however, represents an increase of 241.80 percent from the speed of 7.44 Mbps back in July 2016.

Major telcos PLDT and Globe have been very aggressive in their respective network expansion and improvements.

Further improvement in internet speed is expected as telco market competition intensifies with Dito Telecommunity’s entry.

President Duterte in July last year called on the need to expedite the facilitation of local government unit permits in relation to building cellular towers.

The fast-tracking of the issuance of permits has resulted in a rise in the construction of cellular towers nationwide.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) also issued Department Order (DO) 29 on March 23 to facilitate the construction of infrastructure amid the surging demand for connectivity during the pandemic.

The order amended DO 73 issued in 2014 outlining the department’s policy on telco and internet infrastructures to comply with the Bayanihan laws.

The 2014 DPWH order prohibited telecom and power companies from constructing posts along national roads as it “creates imminent danger to lives and properties and hamper relief operations” during calamities.

This will be determined by the concerned district engineering office of the DPWH.

“We support this policy because it paves the way for the accelerated rollout of vital digital networks and infrastructure by addressing bureaucratic factors that hinder the efficient improvement of telecommunications as well as information services,” Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gregorio Honasan said.

The DICT had previously urged the DPWH to revisit and amend its policies to allow for a more conducive right-of-way regulatory framework in view of President Duterte’s call for telcos to ramp up their services.