As people work from home, group urges ‘responsible use’ of internet

The Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO) warned that their networks could become “strained quickly” as widespread work-from-home measures are implemented amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

In a statement on Wednesday, PCTO reminded the public to “use the Internet more responsibly” after Luzon was placed under enhanced community quarantine.

Precautionary measures recommended by the industry group included the use of movie streaming apps and games during off-peak hours. Moreover, users were told to limit downloads to urgent documents and to use sharing services to transfer large digital files instead of email attachments. They also requested those with landlines to use wired services instead of mobile devices to decongest call traffic.“We expect internet usage to grow exponentially given the government directive to work from home,” PCTO Chair Enrico delos Reyes said in a statement.

The warnings come as PLDT Inc. offered a free internet speed boost to customers in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. The telcos have also activated more free internet for certain sites and hospitals and extended bills payments by 30 days together with internet service providers, such as SkyCable.In a separate stock exchange filing, PLDT said it had “sufficient capacity to serve the increased needs of all our subscribers.”

Rollout plans to ensure that their networks meet the demands of customers, however, could be affected by the government’s quarantine measures.

Globe Telecom said the impact on its network upgrades for 2020 “will have to be assessed further.”

“Magnitude of the impact will be highly dependent on the duration of the community quarantine as well as the respective implementing guidelines of the different [local movement units], which are still currently being drafted,” Globe said.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said the rollout of crucial telco services should continue through the quarantine period.

The DICT asked the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease to allow uninterrupted access of linemen and servicemen as they perform necessary work to ensure the unimpeded delivery of telecommunication services.