Globe Telecom president and CEO Ernest Cu said on Friday, May 7, that a seamless broadband experience – and not the speed of data transmission — should be the main metric in measuring the quality of broadband connection in the country.
Cu made the statement during the company’s quarterly briefing in response to a question by a reporter who asked about the comment made by PLDT and Smart Communications chair Manny V. Pangilinan that the country’s overall Internet speed is being “pulled down” by other broadband providers.
According to Pangilinan, as quoted by online news site Rappler, “if PLDT will be the sole telco in the country today, our rankings would be 15 places higher.”
However, Cu “advised” Pangilinan not to make “sweeping statements”, stressing that the fiber broadband service of Globe and Converge ICT have contributed significantly in making the broadband speed in the country faster.
“Also, speed is not everything. Subscribers should look at the overall experience, which include unhampered service and good customer support, that go with their broadband connection,” he said.
In its first quarter report, Globe said its investments in network upgrades and infrastructure development provided customers with better mobile data experience.
“This was proven by Ookla’s Q1 2021 Speedtest data, naming Globe as the Philippines’ most consistent network with a nationwide mobile Consistency Score of 70.43, ahead of the competition. Ookla’s Q1 2021 analysis also confirmed that Globe is the leader in 10 out of 17 regions in terms of mobile median download speed, solidifying its lead over the competition,” it said.
During the same media briefing, Cu also said the Ayala-owned telco is also not keen – yet – in entering the satellite broadband space, following reports that Elon Musk’s SpaceX is negotiating with a local partner to bring its Starlink satellite broadband service in the country.
Cu said the cost of offering is still prohibitive as of the moment, adding that unless SpaceX gives its starter kit worth $499 for free, most of its targeted clientele in remote areas won’t be able to afford its subscription cost.
