The presumptive chief executive of the Philippines, Pres. Duterte warned the country’s two major telecommunications players to better shape up and improve their respective internet speed download, considered as the slowest in the World or else they will face a healthy competition against foreign telecom players.
Under a Duterte administration, the former Mayor of Davao City warned both PLDT-Smart and Globe Telecom to improve their services or else he would open the country to foreign telecommunication firms that could provide better service if the existing telcos would not do something to improve internet connection and access.
Mayor Duterte also cited the country’s energy sector as an example, he said telco service would remain poor and costs would always be high if a cartel was controlling the sector. The former Davao City Mayor also admitted that although he is lack of knowlege about technology, he knew for sure that having a faster internet speed would help accelerate development in the country.
The incoming President also noted that he will make it a “public policy-the internet connectivity,” adding that it should be faster and affordable. The country’s average household download speed of 3.64 Mbps, the Philippines ranked 176th out of 202 countries according to Ookla.
Internet connection and download speed inthe Philippines is eight times slower than the global average broadband download speed of 23.3 Mbps. Aside from ranking as one of the slowest in the world, in Asia alone the Philippines also earned the distinction of having the second-slowest Internet speed in Asia slightly higher compared to Afghanistan.
In terms of Internet costs, the Philippines internet service is one of the most expensive at $18.19 per Mbps which is very expensive compared to the global average of $5.21 per Mbps.