Based upon the latest report of the World Bank, the Philippines has the slowest internet connection and most expensive in the Asian Region.
The report titled "A Better Normal Under COVID-19: Digitalizing the Philippine Economy Now," the Philippines lags behind neighboring middle-income nations in terms of two key indicators pertaining to Internet services.
The Philippines which is considered as heavy users of internet not only in Asia but worldwide. Only 57 percent of Filipino households, or 12.2 million families, are still not connected to the Internet, while those who have access experience slow download speeds.
The country's mobile broadband download speed is ony 16.76 megabytes per second (mbps), well below the global average of 32.01 mbps.
In terms of 3G/4G mobile average speed of 7Mbps, the Philippines is also behind the ASEAN average of 13.25Mbps.
The World Bank also revealed that in terms of prices, the cost of a fixed broadband plan in the Philippines is close to the cost of similar plans in Singapore and Thailand, or countries which have the fastest speeds in the region.
For prepaid, handset-based mobile broadband, a 500 megabyte Internet service is costing $6.3 a month in the Philippines, the fourth highest in ASEAN after Singapore, Brunei, and Malaysia.
The World Bank and NEDA report traced the country’s Internet woes on anemic digital infrastructure, long-standing duopoly in the telecommunications sector and outdated regulatory rules.
Aside from anemic digital infrastructure in the country, another issue is the country's designation of telecommunications as public utility, which effectively limited foreign ownership and placed a cap on the rate of return.
Ndiame Diop, World Bank Country Director for Philippines, also noted that Internet connectivity in the country – the foundation of the digital economy – is limited in rural areas, and where they are available, services are relatively expensive and of weak quality.
“Upgrading digital infrastructure all over the country will introduce fundamental changes that can improve social service delivery, enhance resilience against shocks, and create more economic opportunities for all Filipinos,” Diop said.
Reviewed by Phil Newsome
on
October 18, 2020
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