Reacting to reports that the Philippines has the slowest average internet speed in Asia Pacific, Senator Joel Villanueva on Monday called for the opening of the country’s telecommunications sector to other players to create competition and increase investments in the industry.
Based on content delivery provider Akamai’s Global State of the Internet report, the Philippines has an average of 5.5 megabits per second (mbps), much lower than the global average internet connection speed at 7.2 mbps.
Villanueva said allowing the entry of another telco would let more players come in and offer better services, amid consumer problems on the country’s slow and expensive internet offerings.
At present PLDT and Globe Telecom are dominating the local industry, with a handful of startup challengers.
Considering this industry duopoly, Villanueva said it is high time to declassify the country’s telecommunications sector as a public utility.
Under Senate Bill No. 695 authored by Villanueva, which aims to amend the 80-year-old Public Service Act or Commonwealth Act No. 146, telecommunications will be excluded from the definition of a public utility.
The Supreme Court has defined a public utility in one of its rulings as a business or service engaged in regularly supplying the public with some commodity or service of public consequence such as electricity, gas, water, transportation, telephone or telegraph service. Public utilities are permitted to operate as regulated monopolies for providing basic services necessary to public consumers.
“Removing the telecom industry in the limitation for public services will harness competition and bring in more investments and technology that are certainly geared to improve the state of internet services in the country,” Villanueva said.
Last week, Malacañang announced that President Rodrigo Duterte is offering China the “privilege” to operate as the third telco operator in the country that would soon “break up” the duopoly of PLDT and Globe Telecom.
Though no specific Chinese company has been lined up yet, China is said to have been chosen by the President for its capital and technology to provide efficient telecom service.
“While I recognize the President’s intention to introduce competition in the telco industry by inviting China, it is better if we open the sector to competition and we invite everyone interested to enter the market.
“We can do that by reducing the barriers to entry than by giving preferential treatment to one. This is what we are trying to do with SB 695. The President can certify this as urgent so that we can have better options in internet and cellphone services,” Villanueva added.