Globe says Akamai erred in using fixed broadband to benchmark PHL internet

Benchmarking the Philippines' internet performance using fixed broadband is actually erroneous as what Akamai did in its latest "[state of the internet] / Q1 2016 executive review," according to Globe Telecom Inc.

Publicly-listed Globe called on content delivery services network provider Akamai to include Philippine mobile internet speeds in its quarterly review, emphasizing that this provides more accurate information than fixed broadband.

“By using the average speed for fixed broadband to represent the internet speed for the whole country is actually erroneous. It is not reflective of the true state of internet considering that majority of Filipinos are using mobile data to access the internet,” Yolanda Crisanto, Globe SVP for Corporate Communications, said in an emailed statement.

The Massachusetts-based Akamai is a content delivery network services provider which produces a quarterly report on the state of internet globally.

According to the latest Akamai SOI report, the average speed for fixed broadband in the Philippines registered at 3.5 megabits (Mbps) in the first three months of the year, up from 2.8 Mbps in the same comparable period in 2015.

Peak speeds were noted at 29.9 Mbps from 20.3 Mbps.

“In comparison with other countries, this will again put the Philippines in bad light and will be used as reference in many studies and reports,” Crisanto said.

“Akamai must now realize the importance of their SOI report so they should prioritize the inclusion of the Philippines’ mobile internet in the next report,” Crisanto said.

Globe and Pangilinan-led PLDT Inc. earlier co-acquired the telecommunications company of San Miguel Corp., which effectively gave them access to the 700-megahertz spectrum which is said to be necessary to improve mobile internet speeds in the country.

Following this development, Globe said it has fired up cell sites utilizing the 700-MHz spectrum and registered a record speed of 100.32 Mbps. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VDS, GMA News