Local internet connectivity picked up speed in Dec 2022, says Ookla

Telecommunications companies’ massive investments in their infrastructure are paying off with the speed of internet connections via fixed broadband and mobile accelerating in December last year by 7 percent.

According to the Speedtest Global Index report of US-based Ookla that gathers information on connectivity worldwide, the Philippines’ fixed broadband median speed rose to 87.13 Megabits per second (Mbps) in December from 81.42 Mbps the month before, for a 7-percent month-on-month upgrade.

Mobile median speed for the period was quicker at 25.12 Mbps, a 4.49-percent improvement from 24.04 Mbps in November 2022.

“The continued improvement in internet speed is a welcome development as President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. encourages the country to embrace digitalization if it wants to survive and thrive in a postpandemic economy,” National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) officer in charge Commissioner Ella Blanca Lopez said in a statement on Thursday.

The NTC attributed the better internet speed to the improvement in the process of granting permits that telcos need to improve their networks.

“Improvement on internet speed is largely attributed to this development as telcos are able to fast-track building infrastructure (cellular towers and fiber optic network) necessary in boosting services and connectivity,” the regulator explained.

Globe Telecom Inc. installed 1,887 new 5G sites across the country as of end-September 2022. PLDT Inc. and its wireless unit Smart Communications Inc., on the other hand, has 77,200 base stations, including 7,300 5G base stations and nearly 40,000 4G/LTE base stations.