NTC: Fast internet in other countries due to gov’t spending on telco infra
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ neighboring countries have faster internet speed because their governments spend on telecommunication infrastructure, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) said Tuesday.
While the internet speed in the Philippines has improved in recent years, NTC said it remains behind other Asian countries ranking 32nd out of 50 in fixed broadband and 34th out of 50 in mobile broadband.
“Actually po tuloy-tuloy naman po tayong tumataas. Kaya lang babanggitin ko po, ‘yung mga bansa na nasa taas po natin, ang gumagastos po sa infrastructure ay ‘yun pong gobyerno. So hindi po sila nama-mire in red tape sa mga LGUs [local government units],” NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said in an online Palace briefing.
(We are continuously improving. But let me just mention that the countries above us, it’s their government who spends for the infrastructure. They are not being mired by red tape of LGUs.)
READ: NTC claims improved internet speed, but PH still tails other Asian countries
Cordoba said South Korea, which is considered as having one of the fastest internet networks in the world, spends an average of $24 billion on their telco infrastructure.
“Sa atin po, magsisimula pa lang po tayong gumastos ng P6 billion next year,” he said.
(Here in the Philippines, we’re only about to start spending P6 billion next year.)
Under the proposed 2021 national budget, the Department of Information and Communications Technology was allocated some P5.9 billion for its National Broadband Program, which aims to accelerate the deployment of fiber optic cables and wireless technologies across the country.
“Ang napansin po namin, in other countries po and marami na pong gumagawa nito, talagang government is putting up the infrastructure. Dahil for every 2 percent increase in the broadband penetration and speed, malaki po ang epekto sa GDP [gross domestic product],” Cordoba said.
(What we noticed is that in other countries, and many already do this, the government is putting up the infrastructure. Because for every 2 percent increase in broadband penetration and speed, it has a great effect on the GDP.)
