Congress will investigate the implementation of the fair use policy on Internet use in the country following accusations that service providers have been shortchanging consumers with slow and expensive service.
Abakada paryt-list Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz sought the House inquiry as he urged the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology to invite telecommunication firms and other Internet service providers to air their side on the issue.
In filing House Resolution 2344, De la Cruz noted that the country has been lagging behind its neighbors when it comes to Internet service, saying that the Philippines service is “so slow and so far behind.”
De la Cruz said the House will have to determine the impact of slow and expensive Internet connection to consumers and businesses.
Philippines Internet connection speed is third slowest in Asia.
According to Dela Cruz, the PLDT group has 72.5 million subscribers composed of 24.7 million Smart subscribers, 31.9 million Talk and Text subscribers, and 15.6-million Digitel and Sun subscribers.
Dela Cruz said Globe has 36.5 million subscribers composed of 34.5 million Globe and TM prepaid subscribers and 1.98 million postpaid subscribers.
“Despite the unprecedented avalanche of ICT users, we have yet to have a truly world-class ICT service infrastructure as evidenced by our abysmal Internet speed,” Dela Cruz said.
A recent study showed that the country’s actual speed never reaches the advertised speed, speed performance declined for all Internet service providers year after year, and Filipino Internet subscribers pay more for less every year. (Ben R. Rosario)