Philippines internet ‘second slowest’ in Asean, ranks 110th worldwide

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s internet connection, considered a basic necessity during the COVID pandemic, is still too slow.

A member of the House of Representatives said yesterday that the Philippines ranked the “second slowest” in internet speed among the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and 110th among 139 countries.

“Filipinos deserve faster internet speeds, which have been associated with higher economic productivity, stronger jobs creation and greater quality of life,” Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr. said.

He cited as basis figures from The Speedtest Global Index, wherein Manila – with an average mobile internet speed of only 18.49 megabits per second (Mbps) – ranked 110th among 139 countries or territories as of November this year.

The Speedtest Global Index analyzes web access performance metrics around the world based on millions of tests taken by real people using the internet.

Campos, author of House Bill 7479 that aims to slap telcos that fail to reach a mandatory internet speed with a fine of P1 million daily until they fully comply, said there is a need for Congress to empower the National Telecommunications Commission so that it can set “compulsory deadlines.”

“We want the NTC to set faster internet speed targets every year, and then penalize the service providers that fail to deliver,” he said.

The veteran legislator noted that Afghanistan ranked last or 139th with 6.31 Mbps, while the United Arab Emirates topped the world’s list of internet connections, which is pegged at a very impressive 170.30 Mbps.

In fixed broadband, the Philippines ranked 103rd with an average speed of only 28.69 Mbps.

In Southeast Asia, Singapore – a fully developed and hi-tech island-state – beat all of its neighbors with its 241.10 Mbps, while Turkmenistan – located in central Asia – is at the tail end with 3.47 Mbps.

“We clearly still have one of the slowest internet speeds in the world and in Asia,” Campos lamented. “Among the 10 member countries of the ASEAN, for instance, our average mobile internet speed is ranked the second-slowest.”

“In fact, our 18.49 Mbps represents just 60 percent of the 30.94 Mbps average mobile internet speed across all ASEAN members,” he observed.

“We are more concerned about mobile internet speed because an overwhelming majority of Filipinos now access the web through their smartphones via their cellular telephone service provider,” Campos said.

President Duterte threatened in July, when he delivered his fifth State of the Nation Address, to expropriate the assets of private telecommunications firms if they failed to improve their internet services by yearend.