The Philippines maintains a respectable position in global mobile internet rankings, securing the 76th spot out of 111 countries in the latest Ookla Speedtest Global Index. While this represents a slight dip of two places, the country's median download speed of 35.56 Mbps shows continued improvement and surpasses several neighboring nations like Laos, Cambodia, and Indonesia.
However, the report highlights a significant gap between the Philippines and global leaders in mobile internet speed. The United Arab Emirates dominates the list with a blazing-fast 441.89 Mbps, followed by Qatar with 358.27 Mbps and South Korea with 148.34 Mbps. This disparity underscores the need for continuous network upgrades and infrastructure development in the Philippines.
Local telecommunication companies are actively working to address this challenge. Smart/TNT recently launched their 5G Max service, promising enhanced speeds and coverage. Globe has been aggressively expanding its network, deploying 378 new mobile sites to bolster connectivity. DITO, the newest player in the market, has begun utilizing 5G "RedCap" technology to optimize network performance.
These efforts are reflected in the country's fixed broadband performance, where the Philippines ranks 55th globally with an impressive 93.68 Mbps download speed and 94.02 Mbps upload speed. This suggests that investments in fixed broadband infrastructure are paying off.
The challenge for telcos moving forward is to translate these gains in fixed broadband to the mobile sector. Factors like increased 5G availability, improved network density, and wider adoption of advanced technologies will be crucial in boosting mobile internet speeds in the coming year.
As the demand for faster and more reliable mobile internet continues to grow, the pressure is on for Philippine telcos to accelerate their network upgrades and bridge the gap with global leaders. The coming year will be critical in determining whether these efforts can deliver a significant leap forward in the country's mobile internet landscape.
0 Comments