Investments led to improved PH broadband prices, internet speed from 2017 to 2020

Broadband prices and internet speed improved between 2017 and 2020 as Globe Telecom Inc. and PLDT Inc. continued to invest in their networks.

Results of more than 120 million tests taken with Speedtest in the Philippines showed the average mobile speed increased 62 percent and fixed broadband speed accelerated 86 percent between 2017 and 2020.

Fixed broadband average download speed in the Philippines improved from 14.36 megabits per second in 2017 to 26.69 mbps in 2020, an increase of 86 percent. The average mobile broadband download speed increased by 62 percent from 9.68 mbps to 15.72 mbps over the same period.

“Providing good customer experience remains to be our ‘North Star’, as we aim to elevate PLDT and Smart to the level of global operators,” said Alfredo Panlilio, Smart Communications president and chief executive and PLDT chief revenue officer.

PLDT said that as of  2020, its average fixed broadband download speed was 32.20 mbps, while Smart’s average mobile download speed reached 17.82 mbps—posting improvements of 78 percent and 71 percent, respectively from 2017, based on analysis by Ookla of tests taken with Speedtest.

PLDT recently announced it was prepared to invest between P88 billion and P92 billion this year to meet the requirements of its mobile and fixed line customers.

Meanwhile, Globe Telecom said the price of its broadband services dropped by more than 60 percent in the last four years.

It said that from as high as P26 per gigabytes, Globe At Home Postpaid LTE price went down to P9 per GB over the last two years, representing a 65.38-percent price decrease.

Globe said that with Home Prepaid WiFi, its most affordable and loadable internet for the masses, customers now pay P9 per GB, down from as high as P23 in 2017, P15 in 2018 and P10 in 2019. This represented a decrease of 60.87 percent since 2017, it said. Darwin G. Amojelar

Globe At Home wired customers also have unlimited data access compared to paying up to P13 per GB in 2016.

“We will continue to focus on improving the internet experience of our customers.  Our investments in our wireless and fixed broadband networks are now making a significant impact in connecting more households, and more areas in the country,” said Darius Delgado, head of broadband business at Globe.

“Without a doubt, our broadband service is now more accessible and affordable. As we continue to build new sites and connect more people, our country will soon be at par with our Asian neighbors,” he said.

A survey done by Cable.co.uk showed the Philippines ranked 18th out of 42 Asian countries in terms of average cost of broadband at $0.75 per megabit per month.