PLDT and Smart Chairman and CEO Manny V. Pangilinan.
Business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan, the PLDT and Smart Chairman and CEO, has brushed off a study on Internet speeds showing that the Philippines has the second slowest average download speed among other Asian countries.
"Hindi naman totoo iyan (That is not true). We're not slow... we're not the lowest... I don't believe so," Pangilinan said during a roundtable interview with newsmen after the 2016 Annual Stockholders' Meeting of PLDT in Makati City on Tuesday.
Pangilinan, however, made clear that this doesn't mean Philippines internet speed is far better than the other Asian countries like Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong. "I am not saying that but we don't believe that we're that slowest (in Internet speed)."
A study of the Internet metric provider Ookla (in its household download index) last year showed that Philippines has the average speed of just 3.64 megabits per second (Mbps), which is the second lowest among Asian countries.
Ookla stated results were obtained by analyzing test data between April 18, 2015 and May 17, 2015. It also stated the only Asian country that had a slower download speed than the Philippines was Afghanistan which had a download speed of 2.52 Mbps.
The Philippines' broadband speed was also way below the global average of 23.3 Mbps.
Singapore ranked 1st on the index with a blistering broadband speed of 122.43 Mbps, followed by Hong Kong with 102.96 Mbps and Saint Pierre and Miquelon with 97.11 Mbps.
Japan ranked 4th with 82.12 Mbps, followed by Romania with 73.75 Mbps, South Korea with 59.77 Mbps, Sweden with 58.48 Mbps and Lithuania with 58.43 Mbps. Macau and Netherlands rounded out the top 10 with speeds of 50.85 and 50.66 Mbps, respectively.
Out of the 202 countries, the country with the slowest download speed is Equatorial Guinea with 0.93 Mbps. Niger, Cuba, Gambia, Guinea, Congo and Syrian Arab Republic are also on the bottom of the list, with speeds of less than 2 Mbps.
In terms of upload speed, the Philippines ranked even lower on the index - 178 out of 202 countries with an average upload speed of 1.53 Mbps. This was significantly lower than the global average of 10.59 Mbps, according to the Ookla study
Ookla study further stated that the cost per Mbps in the Philippines was also one of the most expensive with an average value of $18.18. To compare, the global average is $5.21. The value is the median monthly cost in US dollars per Mbps.
When asked to comment about incoming President Rodrigo Duterte's warning to telcos (telecommunications companies) — provide faster Internet service or foreign investors will be allowed to do the job, Pangilinan said: "It's up to the president, he wants that."
Pangilinan further said that, "look why spend more billion dollars a year if we don't see any improvement in service or improvement in our revenues? You are spending the money because you want to make sure the service has improved and your products and services were able to deliver it better in everywhere (coverage), right?"
"That's why the P700 million is very important," he added referring to the PLDT Home offers several web-connected devices such as the tablet Telpad, home monitoring security camera FamCam, and the TVolution Stick, which turns a TV into a personal computer.
PLDT had earlier announced that in the first quarter of 2016 alone, revenues derived from the sale of these devices have reached over P700 million and are likely to exceed P2 billion for 2016.
But at the same time, Panglinan said "apart from the improvement and customer services, you want the services to flow-in as well, yes we are not in disagreements with the government, we want this next government improves the services -- yes totally. No argument we are totally, violently in agreement, no disagreements there."
The PLDT and its wireless subsidiary on Monday unveiled new logos.
The new logo also comes with the recent change in name of the company from “Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company” into “PLDT Inc.” to better represent the company's current thrust to decisively shift its business to data-driven services.
Pangilinan said PLDT’s previous logo has become anachronistic in the digital age.
Since its founding 88 years ago, Pangilinan said PLDT has served the people longer, and better than any other telco.
“We are committed to transforming our business. We’re committed to providing great customer experiences. We’re committed to our vision of leading and inspiring Filipinos to create a better tomorrow,” he said.
With the change, he said PLDT aims to become the digital services company of the future.
“Today, PLDT means Internet for All and Internet Everywhere,” he said.
PLDT-Smart has embarked on a three-year digital pivot that aims to transform its networks into the country's most data capable infrastructure delivering a growing array of compelling digital services.
This year alone, the Group has allocated P43 billion for capital expenditures. Around $100 million more in capex will likely be earmarked, following the acquisition of the telecoms business of San
Miguel Corp. which included the utilization of the so-called digital dividend, the 700 MHz frequency band.
PLDT and its various subsidiaries such as Voyager Innovation and Talas Data Intelligence are also developing and offering digital and financial technology services that offer the Group’s customers higher levels of efficiencies and convenience.
“Rather than allow ourselves to be disrupted by new technologies, we are disrupting ourselves. We have embarked on a digital pivot to enable us to serve the increasing needs of our people's digital
lifestyle and the country's growing digital economy," said Pangilinan.
“We shall lead the digital revolution by embracing the smart life within the organization, pursuing digital innovations and enabling our customers to go digital in their own ways. The biggest winners will be our customers who will have a growing range of choices at their fingertips,” he stressed.
The new logo symbolizes the powerful convergence of PLDT and Smart, combining fixed and wireless technologies to serve individual and enterprise customers.
The new PLDT and Smart logo is shaped like a triangle with the three sides representing the Company's business pillars - exceptional people, meaningful innovations, and our valuable customers.
The triangle is also the symbol for Delta, the fourth letter in the Greek alphabet, which stands for “Change”.
"Taken together, these three pillars create tremendous energy that will enable our customers to achieve their limitless potential. The triangle’s three sides support each other. Thus, an inherent strength flows harmoniously among the sides to sustain the structure," Pangilinan said.
The new logo replaces the iconic 33-year old PLDT logo which was formed through a repetition of the abstract figure of the telephone receiver to complete four sides. Smart has also changed its logo. MGP News
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