Gigabit Internet is here

Gigabit Internet is only possible for subscriber lines that are on the newer and faster fiber connections that are being expanded in key locations in Metro Manila and other cities in the country.

Last week, both PLDT and Globe Telecom announced that they’re rolling out gigabit (1Gbps) internet to residential customers in the Philippines.

This is a huge departure from the recent reports that average internet speeds in the country only hovers around 3Mbps.

Gigabit Internet is only possible for subscriber lines that are on the newer and faster fiber connections that are being expanded in key locations in Metro Manila and other cities in the country.

These locations are selected based on the ability of households to afford the higher plans. We’re talking here of posh villages such as Forbes, Ayala Alabang, Belair as well as high-end condominiums like Eton Towers and Rockwell. The logic is that most potential customers in these locations are able to afford the faster subscription plans, thereby maximizing the roll-out of infrastructure in those areas.

While the current list is less than one percent of the existing subscriber base, our hope is that more locations will be included in the near future.

The 1Gbps plan will cost the subscriber just a little under P10,000 a month. However, more affordable plans are also available ranging from 50Mbps, 100Mbps, 200 and 500Mbps. The cheapest high-speed plan is the one being offered by Globe at P2,499 for a 50Mbps connection. It is interesting to note that these connections offer unlimited data allocation.

These subscription plans show that local ISPs are actually capable of providing super-fast internet speeds at affordable prices. The gigabit connection is comparable to neighboring countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea although fiber network coverage is still very low compared to these countries.

Unfortunately, the older DSL network that is still on copper wires will remain in the same speed plans which are significantly much lower than the fiber network. ISPs continue to roll out newer fiber lines but it could take some time and huge investments on their part to cover all existing subscribers.

This development is a huge step towards faster and cheaper Internet in the Philippines. Granted that it is still in its infancy and is very limited, the idea of having a super fast Internet connection for a residential customers is still very exciting news.

As luck would have it, our new building here in Makati is included in the fiber network of Globe so we are applying for a 100Mbps line. We’ll surely share our experience with everyone once it’s installed so watch out for that in the next couple of weeks.