A small step towards #BetterInternet in the Philippines

IP peering is just one of the many ways to improve the state of Internet in the Philippines. We believe that the government should revisit the NBN Project (National Broadband Network) and create a nationwide backbone that all players, big or small, can hook up to so they can even the playing field.

Last Monday, PLDT signed a memorandum of agreement with DOST-ASTI to be part of the local IP peering. The same event also saw the PHOpenIX as the government’s official IP exchange (G/IPX).

Simply put, the PLDT-ASTI agreement will allow the PHOpenIX to gain access or peer with PLDT for local Internet traffic. IP Peering gives members of the exchange better access by allowing faster transit of data, few hops, and lower latency of Internet traffic from subscribers of one Internet service provider to another member ISP.

Without local peering, Internet traffic will be forced to route outside the country and back, making the overall experience of the subscriber harder. This is especially true if the content or service being accessed is hosted by one ISP and being accessed by a subscriber of a competing ISP.

In a way, local IP peering serves as a shortcut to two separate expressways – the same way you would look at the C5 link as the shortcut connection between NLEX and SLEX.

Most of the major Internet service providers are already members of the PHOpenIX since it was established in 2007. The inclusion of PLDT in the exchange, being the biggest Internet service provider in the country, has long been encouraged by both government and private organizations to improve the state of Internet in the Philippines.

The current agreement includes a two-year access to the PLDT network via dark fiber that stretches from the ASTI in UP Diliman to the ePLDT Vitro Data Center in Pasig City. The connection is initially set for 1Gbps with the fiber line and the rack space all donated by PLDT, at a little over P21 million. The new PLDT Vitro Data Center will now house the third node of the G/IPX.

However, the initial peering agreement only covers government agencies and their respective websites and e-services. This includes websites of BIR for their eFPS (Electronic Filing and Payment System),  SSS E-Payment Services, PhilHealth Online Service, NSOHelpLine.com and many other government websites.

The PLDT-ASTI peering agreement does not include commercial services and websites hosted by other ISPs and data centers so don’t expect Internet speed to improve from its current performance. This may not be a huge development for regular Internet subscribers like us but it’s still a step forward.

Perhaps in the near future, there is a possibility of full IP peering as envisioned by DOST-ASTI. DOST Secretary Mario Monje promised something bigger before the end of the year so we are hoping for something in this general direction.

Of course, IP peering is just one of the many ways to improve the state of Internet in the Philippines. We believe that the government should revisit the NBN Project (National Broadband Network) and create a nationwide backbone that all players, big or small, can hook up to so they can even the playing field.