Internet speed for fixed, mobile broadband increased since 2016 – NTC

MANILA, Philippines — The fixed and mobile broadband internet speed in the country has increased since 2016, according to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), citing global speed test data.

In fact, as of September 2020, NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said internet speed in the country increased by 229.7 percent for fixed broadband and 127.06 percent for mobile broadband as shown in OOKLA’s Speedtest Global Index.

“Mayroon naman pong improvement simula nung umupo si Presidente Duterte noong 2016 up to the present,” Cordoba told lawmakers during Thursday’s House hearing on the state of the internet and telecommunications industry in the country.

According to him, the country’s fixed download speed was at 7.91 megabits per second (Mbps) in July 2016 but in September 2020, it increased to 26.08 Mbps.

He added that the country was at 7.44 Mbps in July 2016 and improved to 16.89 Mbps in September 2020 in terms of mobile download speed.

In comparison to other countries in Asia, the NTC chief said the Philippines’ fixed broadband speed is 31st in the continent and 36th for mobile broadband. OOKLA’s data states that Asia has 50 countries.

Still citing OOKLA, Cordoba said the Philippines ranked 5th out of nine countries in Southeast Asia for fixed broadband as of September 2020 and only 8th for mobile broadband.

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Gregorio Honasan II earlier said internet speed in the country is “not yet that good,” clarifying his earlier remark that it is “not that bad.”

KGA