NTC to release rules on broadband measurement

MANILA, Philippines - The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) expects to release the rules covering the measurement of mobile broadband service by December. 

“We expect (to release) next week or within the first-half of December the memo for mobile Internet,” NTC director Edgardo Cabarios told reporters. 

The NTC initially planned to release the rules this month (November).

Cabarios said there is a need to check whether stakeholders still have concerns on the proposed rules. 

The draft of the rules provided earlier stated the NTC will conduct the monitoring and measurement of mobile broadband service by looking at the downstream and upstream average data rate, latency, jitter and packet loss.

The measurement will be conducted taking into consideration the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) uncontrollable variables. 

For instance, for mobile ISPs providing only the access network and lease bandwidth from broadband connectivity providers, the measurement will be conducted within the access network of the said mobile ISPs.

Measurements for all mobile ISPs will be conducted simultaneously.

The NTC will conduct the monitoring and measurements during peak and off hours, using different subscribers’ broadband or Internet access data plans twice a week, to ensure reliability of results.

The results of the monitoring and measurements will be posted on the NTC website, not later than five days from the end of each month.

NTC issued the rules in August to measure fixed broadband.

Cabarios said the results of tests conducted on the fixed broadband service should be out by December or January.