PH internet speed ranking improved in June

THE country’s continued improvement of its internet speed is seen to aid in its inclusion in the international digital economy.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said the Philippines’ internet speed rankings for both fixed broadband and mobile internet continued its upturn last June, according to the latest figures released by the global speed monitoring firm Speedtest by Ookla.

“The continuous upward trend in PH Internet speeds is a welcome development in our efforts to prepare for full participation in the global digital economy,” DICT Secretary Gregorio Honasan II said in a statement.

Ookla figures for June 2021 indicate that the country’s average download speeds for fixed broadband is now 66.55 megabits per second (Mbps), a 6.82 increase from the 59.73 Mbps speed recorded in May 2021.

For mobile internet, the June 2021 speed reached 32.84 Mbps, which shows an increase of 0.86 from the recorded 31.98 Mbps in May.

DICT attributed the upward trend after President Rodrigo Duterte issued directives last July 2020, which challenged telcos to shape up and called on government agencies to provide assistance to telcos by streamlining the tower permitting process.

On July 1, 2021, the DICT and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) also revised and expanded Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) 001, s. 2021 to harmonize the provisions of the original policy and Republic Act 11494, or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.

The JMC has been instrumental in reducing procedural delays in securing the necessary permits and documentary requirements in the construction of common towers.

According to Arta, the policy shortened the timeline to the target period of 16 days compared to the original 214 days. It also brought down permits from 30 to eight and documentary requirements from 86 to 35.

“For the rest of 2021 and in the succeeding years, the DICT shall continue to support the industries for telecommunications and information services to ensure that our internet speed rankings will continue its upward climb,” Honasan said. (JOB)