Jonestime

The Digital Age

Internet access in the Philippines was first established on March 29, 1994, at 10:18 a.m. when the Philippine Network Foundation (PHNet) successfully connected the country to the Sprint Network in the United States through a 64 kilobit link. This milestone marked a significant advancement for the nation, ushering it into the modern era of technology. Despite the initial slow speeds, many Filipinos were able to access the internet and explore its various offerings, such as bulletin board services. However, the Philippines still lags behind other countries in terms of internet infrastructure and accessibility. As the Philippines continues to embrace digitalization and connectivity, significant changes have been observed in the online environment. According to World Bank data, nearly 50% of the population used the internet in 2020, indicating a consistent increase in internet usage rates compared to previous years. Despite the increasing demand for internet access, the quality of internet connectivity continues to be a significant concern. According to the latest Speedtest Global Index, the country's average broadband internet speed of 90.57 Mbps ranks 51st in the world. Furthermore, internet connectivity in rural and remote areas is frequently slow and unreliable, restricting access to digital services and impeding development. The Philippines has made significant investments in expanding its internet infrastructure, with major telecom providers such as Globe Telecom, PLDT, and Converge ICT extending their fiber optic networks to provide high-speed internet access to more regions of the country and in a groundbreaking development, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) approved the registration of Starlink, a satellite internet service offered by SpaceX, in 2022. The Philippines is the first country in Southeast Asia to have access to Starlink's services. NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba emphasized the agency's commitment to ensuring the swift and professional deployment of Starlink's internet service. On February 22, SpaceX announced that Starlink's internet service is now operational in the Philippines. According to a statement from SpaceX, as of July 2024, Starlink has 6,281 operational satellites, with plans to increase this number to 40,000 in the future. The Philippines seems to be on track and looking ahead, it is projected that by 2025, an estimated 15.5 million Filipino households will have internet access in their homes, however this figure is of stark contrast to the country's total population of approximately 113 million people.

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Major Philippine Internet Players

(Updated: AUG 01 2024)

PLDT HOME

Plan	Speed	Limit	PH Price	US Price
PLDT Home Unli Fibr 899	35 Mbps	Unlimited	₱899	$15.00
PLDT Home Unli Fibr 1299	50 Mbps	Unlimited	₱1,299	$22.00
PLDT Home Unli Fibr 1699	200 Mbps	Unlimited	₱1,699	$29.00
PLDT Home Unli Fibr Plan 2099	400 Mbps	Unlimited	₱2,099	$36.00
PLDT Home Unli Fibr Plan 2699	600 Mbps	Unlimited	₱2,699	$46.00
PLDT Home Unli Fibr Plan 9499	1000 Mbps	Unlimited	₱9,499	$163.00
Fee:   Modem & Installation fee varies across plans   -   US Dollars are rounded up or down to the nearest dollar.

Globe Broadband

Plan	Speed	Limit	PH Price	US Price
Globe At Home GFiber Uni Plan 1299	100 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 1,299	$ 22.00
Globe At Home GFiber Uni Plan 1799	200 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 1,799	$ 31.00
Globe At Home GFiber Uni Plan 2199	400 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 2,199	$ 38.00
Globe At Home GFiber Uni Plan 2699	600 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 2,699	$ 46.00
Globe At Home GFiber Uni Plan 5999	1 Gbps	Unlimited	₱ 5,999	$ 103.00
Globe At Home Unli Fiber Up 7499	2 Gbps	Unlimited	₱ 7,499	$ 129.00
Fee: Installation ₱100   -   US Dollars are rounded up or down to the nearest dollar.

Converge Broadband

Plan	Speed	Limit	PH Price	US Price
Fiber X 1500	200 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 1,500	$ 26.00
Fiber X 2500	600 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 2,000	$ 43.00
Fiber X 3500	800 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 3,500	$ 60.00
Fiber X 7499	1 Gbps	Unlimited	₱ 7,499	$ 129.00
Home Base 1500	200 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 1,500	$ 26.00
Home Base 1899	10 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 1,899	$ 33.00
Fiber X Time of the Day 1699	200/400 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 1,699	$ 29.00
Fiber X Time of the Day 3000	600/800 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 3,000	$ 51.00
Gamechanger PRO-ENTRY	400 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 2,500	$ 43.00
Gamechanger PRO-MID	600 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 3,000	$ 51.00
Gamechanger PRO-HIGH DAY	600/800 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 3,500	$ 62.00
Gamechanger PRO-HIGH NIGHT	800/600 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 3,500	$ 62.00
Gamechanger Elite	800 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 5,000	$ 86.00
Fee: Varies   -   US Dollars are rounded up or down to the nearest dollar.

SKY Fiber Unli Broadband

Plan	Speed	Limit	PH Price	US Price
SKY Fiber Unli Broadband 999	50 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 999	$ 17.00
SKY Fiber Unli Broadband 1299	75 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 1,499	$ 22.00
SKY Fiber Unli Broadband 1399	100 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 1,399	$ 24.00
SKY Fiber Unli Broadband 1699	200 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 2,499	$ 29.00
Sky Fiber Unli Broadband + HD Cable TV Plan 1699	100 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 1699	$ 29.00
Sky Fiber Unli Broadband + HD Cable TV Plan 2,499	200 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 2,499	$ 43.00
Sky Fiber Unli Broadband + HD Cable TV Plan 2999	400 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 2,999	$ 51.00
Fee:   Varies across plans (see their website)   -   US Dollars are rounded up or down to the nearest dollar.

DITO Telecom

Plan	Speed	Limit	PH Price	US Price
Dito Unli 5G	upto 500 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 1,499	$ 26.00
Dito Unli 5G Data Capped	upto 500 Mbps	Unlimited	₱ 990	$ 17.00

Starlink

Plan	Speed	Limit	PH Price	US Price
Starlink Residential	Varies (but fast)	Unlimited	₱2,700	$46.00
Starlink Roam	Varies (but fast)	Unlimited	₱3,300	$57.00
Starlink Boats Mobile Priority 50GB	Varies (but fast)	Unlimited Inland	₱15,394	$264.00
Starlink Boats Mobile Priority 1TB	Varies (but fast)	Unlimited Inland	₱61,576	$1056.00
Starlink Boats Mobile Priority 5TB	Varies (but fast)	Unlimited Inland	₱307,885	$5281.00
On 22 Feb 2023, Elon Musk's SpaceX announced that its satellite internet service, Starlink, is now live in the Philippines. A hardware kit is necessary and must be purchased to use Starlink. This kit includes a router, cable and antenna. The cost in the Philippines is ₱28,000. Refurbished hardware is sometimes available in the amount of ₱14,000. Please note that the router does not come with wired ethernet connectivity. If you want wired ethernet, you will need to purchase a separate ethernet adapter with a cost of about $40.