Phl has 4th fastest Internet speed in Asean – report

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines leads five countries in Southeast Asia in terms of average mobile data speed, according to a study conducted last month by Ookla (Netindex.com).

Results of the study showed that average mobile data speed in the Philippines of 3.9 Mbps was faster compared to Malaysia’s 3.16 Mbps, Cambodia’s 3.15 Mbps, Laos’ 2.08 Mbps, Indonesia’s 2.05 Mbps, Vietnam’s 1.51 Mbps, and Myanmar’s 0.41 Mbps.

However, the Internet speed in the Philippines was slower compared to three other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Philippine mobile data speed ranked fourth and was slower compared to Singapore‘s 16.9 Mbps, Brunei‘s 7.79 Mbps, and Thailand’s 4.32 Mbps.

All countries except the Philippines has IP Peering and government funding support.

Ookla is the global leader in broadband testing and web-based network diagnostic applications. The company’s software and methodologies set the broadband industry standards for accuracy, popularity, ease of use and the subsequent development of statistical data.

On the other hand, a study conducted by Boston Consulting Group showed that the Philippines had the third lowest (64 of 100) e-Friction score compared to other qualified ASEAN countries, next only to Singapore (31) and Malaysia (44).

The Boston Consulting Group e-Friction measures four types of friction (infrastructure, individual, industry and information) that prevent consumers, companies and countries from realizing the Internet’s full benefits.

No country is entirely frictionless. Countries with lower e-Friction scores show better development in infrastructure and more supportive business and regulatory environments.

A report by Akamai Technologies also showed that the Philippines is one of the top four gainers in the region in terms of average peak connection speed from 2012 to 2013.

Growth was rated at 144 percent from 13.4 Mbps in the fourth quarter of 2012 to 32.6 Mbps in the same period last year.

On the other hand, a cursory glance of the ASEAN internet speed test report revealed that comparisons were not made on equal footing.

For instance, in the Internet speed test in Myanmar, which was found to have an internet speed of 4.9 Mbps as against the Philippines‘ 3.6 mbps, the test zeroed in only in Yangoon as against the entire Philippines.

The Myanmar findings also found out that there were 400,000 internet users as against the Philippines ‘ 45 percent of its 100 million population.

For Laos, the purported test showed the country had an internet speed of 4.0, although the test was just limited to Vientiane, its capital while in the Cambodia test, the area was just limited to Phnom Penh.

Given these findings, if the test was just limited to Metro Manila, Philippine internet speed could dwarf that of these countries.

The Philippines is currently the top business process outsourcing (BPO) country in the world with earnings of over $1 billion a month.