As the world’s heaviest internet users, Filipinos may soon see the country’s internet speed increase to a minimum of 65 megabit per second (Mbps) for fixed broadband and 30 Mbps for mobile internet access if a bill by House Deputy Speaker and Batangas 6th District Rep. Ralph Recto becomes law.
House Bill (HB) No. 2567, or “An Act Requiring Internet Service Providers to Deliver a Minimum Standard for Internet Connection Speed,” recognized the importance of high-speed internet connections in learning, business, and disaster-relief operations.
“Thus, it mandates internet service providers (ISPs) to deliver minimum internet connection speeds of 30 Mbps for mobile broadband/internet access and 65 Mbps for fixed and fixed wireless broadband/internet access to their subscribers,” the bill’s explanatory note said.
“ISPs shall ensure that they continuously improve their system and work towards providing an average internet connection speed above global average,” it added.
Citing the Human Rights Council of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly that said internet access should be promoted and affirmed because it enables individuals to “exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression,” Recto’s bill furthered that Filipinos are “the world's heaviest internet users” as ranked by social media firms Hootsuite and We are Social in its Digital 2022 April Global Statshot Report.
The average amount of time spent by Filipino internet users on any device is 10 hours and 23 minutes, while the worldwide average is 6 hours and 53 minutes, the explanatory note said.
“This should be supported by ISPs providing faster and wider services to cope with the increasing demands of its subscribers,” Recto furthered in the bill dubbed as “Bilis Konek Act.”
“Faster internet speed certainly comes with a price, but faster connection will be economical in the long run. The cost of bigger bandwidths is definitely higher but
long-term gains become more evident due to unparalleled convenience, increased productivity and better communication between the sender and the receiver,” the bill said.
“Setting minimum standards for internet connection speed not only ensures that consumers get the best quality for the service that they pay for, but also makes the country connected to our fast-changing world,” it added.
Recto lamented that according to Ookla's Speedtest Global Index report, the Philippines’ average download speed for fixed broadband was 55.21 Mbps in April 2022, while the country's average mobile broadband download speed was 19.45 Mbps in April 2022.
Despite the slow speed compared to the global average—global download speed averages at 30.75 Mbps for mobile and 63.46 Mbps for fixed broadband—the Philippines’ internet speed improved from 2021 to 2022.
“However, there is still a need to ensure that this standard is maintained for the majority of the service users,” the bill said.
Section 6 of HB 2567 laid down the penalties on ISPs who would not meet the minimum standards specified in the proposed measure.
Penalties and fines upon conviction would amount to not less than P200,000 and not more than P2 million.