The Philippines posted mixed results in terms of internet speed in the first quarter of 2018 as it marked improvements in fixed broadband and a surprise decline in mobile speeds.
This was according to the newest Speedtest Global Index by Ookla, which claims to be the “global leader in internet performance testing and metrics” since it relies on measurements made by its billions of active users.
According to its latest results, the Philippines advanced by one spot to 87 out of 128 countries during the first quarter of 2018 in terms of fixed broadband speed.
For the period, the average download speed hit 15.67 megabits per second from 15.2 Mbps in the pervious quarter. It was also 50 percent higher than the 10.16 Mbps in the same period in 2017.
Upload speeds averaged 13.53 Mbps versus 12.99 Mbps in the previous quarter and 7.28 Mbps a year ago.
The first quarter 2018 figures were still below the global average of 41.88 Mbps download speed and 20.36 Mbps upload speed.
Mobile internet is an area where domestic telcos like to tout their performance. However, the Philippines slid four rungs to 94th place out of 125 countries in the first quarter of 2018.
Mobile download speeds here averaged 12.55 Mbps compared to 13.45 Mbps in the previous quarter. The figure stood at 9.34 Mbps a year ago.
The latest mobile upload speeds averaged 5.86 Mbps against 6.23 Mbps a quarter ago and 4.68 Mbps a year ago.
The global average mobile download speed was at 22.23 Mbps while the upload speed stood at 8.94 Mbps.
Norway had the best mobile speed in the world, with a download speed of 62.75 Mbps, followed by Singapore at 52.13 Mbps and the Netherlands, at 52.98 Mbps, the global index showed. Singapore was No. 1 in fixed broadband with a speed of 166.44 Mbps followed by Iceland at 161.98 Mbps.
PLDT Inc. sought to highlight the gains cited by the index in the fixed broadband area.
“These reflect the growing impact of our ongoing efforts to provide fiber-powered broadband services to more customers in more areas of the country,” said Oscar A. Reyes, Jr., PLDT senior vice president.—MIGUEL R. CAMUS