Expensive bills, slow Internet connection. It’s a common thing in the Philippines, so much so that consumers are generally unsatisfied with their Internet subscriptions. And thus, Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino is seeking an investigation into the matter.

As seen in this Internet speed infographic by ASEAN DNA, the Philippines is scraping by with only 3.6Mbps on average, whereas neighboring countries Thailand and Singapore have speeds exceeding the global average. Every smaller countries like Laos, Cambodia, and Burma have us beat in average speeds.

One may think that their faster Internet means higher subscription costs, but Internet access in these countries are quite cheaper than what our local telecoms and providers offer. For instance, Singapore’s Singtel offers 15Mbps for around Php1,312 a month and Thailand’s True Internet has 12Mbps for around P1,100 monthly. In comparison, Philippine companies typically offer a slow 2Mbps for Php1,000, or up to 5Mbps for Php2,000 every month.

As Aquino has stated, “this is expensive compared to Singapore and Thailand where we can find some of the fastest Internet connections in the world.” He is demanding a logical explanation from the National Telecommunications Commission for letting local companies to offer slow Internet speeds at steep prices.

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  1. malamang sa malamang ay kung papabilisin ang internet dito ay lagyan na din ng data capacity just like that FUP by Globe which will surely give a negative impact on consumers especially on those who are running an internet shop business. Mabilis nga internet mo pero yung data capacity na 1G per day ay ubos in just 10 minutes of streaming HD videos.. ouch..

  2. Malamang Magkakasabwat yang NTC at Telco companies. Imagine sa Singapore 15mbps for 1.3k pesos ung 15mbps sa pinas nasa 5k pataas. Kaya ung mayayaman lang ang yumayan sa pinas eh.