May 16, 2012
Grace in Mono: Philippine internet, ICT lagging behind

Can it ever catch up to its SEA neighbors?

Grace Mirandilla-Santos | May 15, 2012

In CNN’s recent Eye on the Philippines feature, it was fascinating to see the number of internet users right next to the population infographic. This is proof that access to ICT, especially the internet, is as important a statistic as any development indicator in today’s hyperconnected world.

The Internet World Stats ranked the Philippines no. 7 among Asia’s top internet countries, with 30 million online citizens to boast. But does this figure mean anything? Although 30 million sounds like a lot, it roughly translates to 29% online Filipinos out of 102 million. This is 10% less than the internet penetration rate of a low-income country like Kyrgyzstan (39%)—a paradox considering that the Philippines is a lower-middle income nation and two stages higher than Kyrgyzstan in terms of digitization.

Internet laggard the Philippines is also marred by poor connection quality. In Akamai’s State of the Internet Report for the fourth quarter of 2011, internet in the Philippines was found to be among the slowest in the Asia Pacific region, with an average speed of 1.1 Mbps. This falls below Akamai’s definition of broadband – connection speeds of above 2 Mbps.

The report pointed out that “only a privileged few” (7.1%) actually enjoy broadband-speed connectivity, a stark contrast to that of neighbors like Malaysia (22%), Singapore (67%), and Thailand (70%). If Philippine ISPs do not feel the need to catch up with their Asian counterparts, they ought to improve service for their clients.

Filipino consumers feel that internet service in the country leaves much to be desired. And they are willing to shell out more money for better service quality, depending on how they use broadband and for particular circumstances, a recent survey by Ericsson’s ConsumerLab revealed. This begs the question: Aren’t consumers already paying enough for broadband? Or is slow internet caused by poor infrastructure combined with the telcos’ business practice of oversubscription?

In a broader context, this top Facebook user-country (ranked 8th in the world) has sadly remained a straggler in exploiting ICT’s full potential. The latest Networked Readiness Index (NRI) ranked the Philippines at no. 86 (out of 142 countries)—its worst performance in five years, starting from no. 69 (out of 122) in 2006. The NRI’s sub-indices point to some national issues that give a clearer picture of why and how the Philippines has failed to leverage ICT to boost its competitiveness.

Read the full entry here. Visit Telecom Asia for news and analysis for Asia’s telecoms operators.

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April 24, 2012
Grace in Mono: Localizing the internet in the Philippines

PHOpenIX must address critical issues before fostering interconnects.

Grace Mirandilla-Santos | April 24, 2012


In this interconnected world, no economy can grow without the internet. Several studies have shown that a 10% increase in broadband penetration could improve gross domestic product (GDP) and labor productivity, especially in low– and middle-income countries. But apart from access, the quality of connection defines how the internet can bee exploited for development.

Internet exchange points (IXPs) are facilities that allow ISPs to connect directly to each other and exchange traffic using local infrastructure. Naturally, the shorter distance lessens latency, improves connection quality, and reduces the transmission cost of using third-party networks and expensive international links for routing traffic.

The Internet Society recently released a pioneering study that, for the first time, quantifies the positive impact of IXPs in emerging countries, like Kenya and Nigeria. The report attributes annual savings of at least $1 million for telcos, plus millions in additional revenues from new traffic, speeding local data exchange, and encouraging locally hosted content and services.

While developed nations in North America, Europe and Asia have long reaped the benefits of IXPs, countries like the Philippines have yet to exploit it. Internet users in the Philippines contend with a rather ridiculous situation. If A and B are subscribers of different ISPs, data from A will have to travel outside the country—making several hops to the US then to Hong Kong and Singapore—before it comes back and finally reach B. All this, even if A and B are just five kilometers apart!

Clearly, this sounds illogical. But the mere fact that major ISPs are not interconnected means that this makes (business) sense to at least one player.

Not that there is no IX facility available. In 2007, the Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI), the research and development arm for ICT and microelectronics of the Department of S&T, developed the Philippine Open IX as an open peering facility for local ISPs. Several players have already connected to the IX, but without the major ISPs, its impact remains very limited.

Read the full entry here. Visit Telecom Asia for news and analysis for Asia’s telecoms operators.

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Filed under: philippines Internet Telecom Asia Telecoms 
April 24, 2012
Grace in Mono: What govt can do for the IT-BPO sector

Grace Mirandilla-Santos | April 12, 2012


The Philippines ICT industry recently made a great promise: by 2016, it will contribute as much as $50 billion in direct revenues, 70% of which would come from the IT-BPO industry.

It also promised a projected $150 billion in indirect investments in the economy, primarily through real estate, transport and telecommunications, banking, and taxes.

The country’s economic development authority already sees the IT-BPO segment growing at 15% annually. Much hope is also pinned on the sector in helping ease the country’s 7% unemployment rate and accelerating countryside development. Currently, IT-BPO accounts for only 1.6% of the 40-million strong labor force and 5% of the GDP.

Beginning with the Arroyo administration, the government has been gung-ho on harnessing the huge potential of IT-BPO as a means to leapfrog economic growth. Today, under the Aquino government, the Information and Communication Technology Office of the Department of Science and Technology is raring to tap into this gold mine—a priority in its ICT industry development programs.

All this raving about IT-BPO is for good reason. In recent years, the sector has contributed to the country’s economic growth, together with telecommunications, real estate, housing, and retail trade. The Philippines has already established itself as the clear global number two IT-BPO leader after India, which it had surpassed in 2010 as the main location for business support services.

To exploit the opportunity that IT-BPO brings, what is government doing for the sector?


Read the full entry here. Visit Telecom Asia for news and analysis for Asia’s telecoms operators.

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(Notes: 2)
  
Filed under: philippines IT-BPO Telecom Asia Telecoms 
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