This post sees an ally in Sen. Cayetano bill " Konektadong Pinoy" as he bats for cheaper and faster internet

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

Sen Peter Allan Cayetano bats for cheaper and faster internet as he passes bill for Konektadong Pinoy.

Faster -  yes.  Cheaper -  we do not know.  All good things command high prices.  We thank the good senator for his efforts to push for things that really matter to the Filipinos.  Plus he taps into 70 million more or less Filipinos who are connected and who feed billions to the coffers of Telcos.

Salamat po Senator Cayetano

Konektadong Pinoy

How to increase your wifi speed for your android cell phone

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress 8.8. 8. 8 8.8.4.4.

How to increase internet speed whether from PLDT, Globe or Converge

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress It could be just a matter of changing the setting. Learn how

Converge - pinakamabilis nga bang internet sa Pinas?

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

Converge is touted to be the fastest internet service provider in the Philippines?

Is it really fast?   A review..

DTC (Direct to Cell) technology from Starlink

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

Direct to Cell Technology from Starlink.    Cell tower in the sky.   Convenience to those who go on adventures and are places where there is no available cp service.   You do not have to modify your phone and/or place attachment 

DTC will only be a tower, and to be leased by a CP carrier.   Will they be fast?      

A new telecom technology to solve traffic congestion in the Phil or even make internet faster

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

Rizal Philippines
August 16, 2016

One of the complaints of telco which is the reason why internet is slow is because  of high cap ex and high corruption rate by LGU in the installation of cell cites.   There are 25 signatures involved before cell sites can be up, not to mention grease money that run into 6 figures (Can Duterte govt reduce or eradicate that?)

So the technology has shifted from tower, to monopole (about 120 ft ) to e pole microcell (40 ff)
Microcell

The business model being proposed is that of lease rather than sale.  (This requires high cap ex)

Will this be the answer to our internet woes?  Let us find out May be it will work for areas where there is traffic jam and congestion of users.

Well the  Peering MoA will do wonders and make us wonder less on who makes money on the HK node for all the internet  traffic.

Developments that augur well for faster internet in the Philippines

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

Rizal Philippines
August 13, 2016

There are several things that may mean the end of slow internet in the Philippines

1.  The creation of DICT (Department of  Information and Communication Technology.  It is headed by Sec.  Rodolfo Salalima.  It is expected that the Department will now be able to focus on issues concerning communication, one of which is internet speed, the second lowest in Asia;

Creation of DICT

2.  The MoA between PLDT and Globe for bilateral localized IP peering last June 2016  We are happy that this went through despite long periods of delay and acrimony.  We are glad the behemoths gave way for the public good

3.  The planned investment of the govt in broadband back bone;  (this will need billions)

And lately this post got an invitation from a business acquaintance to be a consultant and even investor in their group.  They will have a jv with the 40th wealthiest men in USA to bring faster internet in the Philippines   What is it kaya?

He refused to email me or give me details and we have yet to meet on Tuesday noon.  Watch out for this.  I hope he and I can deliver.

I can start being a critic and a pain in the neck of NTC and DOTC to start being part of the solution

Slow internet service by Telcos get Duterte's attention

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

Rizal Philippines
June 1, 2016

Poor Telco service get Duterte attention

From Notey: Duterte reveals policy on telcos and slow internet speed

The duopoly of Globe and PLDT and the slow internet connection drew the attention of Preumptive President Rodrigo Duterte who issued strong warnings to the two to ease the internet problem, or else face the prospect of more entry of foreign telcos.  It was the sternest warning since the time of Pres Erap who warned the telcos over the inter connection of of text messaging. (Now maybe the peering issue would have to be resolved)  We need to jerk and shake the giants with these actions.

Will they or play hard with Duterte?  Will Duterte invite the Presidents of PLDT and Globe to a conference in a helicopter over this problem?

It is time to put people before profit, progress before pride and obstinacy.

Creation of DICT passed into law

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

Rizal Philippines
June 1, 2016

From Business World - Pres Aquino signs into law RA 10844 which creates DICT

The House Bill 6198 which seeks to create a stand alone Department of Information and Technology was forwarded to the OP last May 10, 2016. and signed into a law last May 23, 2016 as RA 10844   It was approved by the  House of Reps in third and final reading in October 2015. It was second time that such bill was passed. The House failed to transmit this to the OP.   Pnoy saw no urgency for such a measure (What when we have the slowest internet speed in the Philippines)

The bill consolidates the IT related offices under DOST and DOTC.  The DOTC simply becomes a stand alone department of Transportation (so that it can focus on the Trains)

The new department it is hoped can address the slow internet speed in the Philippines

Is slow internet the result of bad politics?

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

Rizal Philippines
January 4, 2016

Why is intenet so slow in the Philippines by Leticia Ramos Shahani Philstar 10/24

Indifferent public?

An indifferent public (the very poor readership and response of the netizens to this blog is an evidence.  Only 500 pageviews in more than 6 months?), poor regulations with privatization, monopoly all translate into poor and costly service for internet.  The author at Philstar has  included I all the factors that I have discussed in this site.

Monopoly (or duopoloy) are the culprits?

The monopoly invests so little in improving the backbone.  Still are copper wires and are touted to VIX in HK.  It does not go into peering (peering is free use of each other network to distribute signals or data)  As it is the monopoly is a toll monopoly.  All traffic that passes through its network is tolled

Let us repeat that Akami ranked PHL as 3rd slowest in the countries in Asia that were ranked.  The Phil 3 mbps costs as much as I Gbps in Singapore  at $36.01.  Oh yes, such is available in the Philippines at a hefty price from both Globe and PlDT at $368 per month or P20,000.  Yes it is all about profit and they want more. I thought internet or IT was the land of the free...

The regulators at their best even as mandated by law are comfortable with the powerful monopoly/business leaders.  While in other countries, the minimum speed was upped from 4 to 20 mbps, our regulators outshone them by setting the minimum speed for 256 mbps.  How sad?  The open competition espoused by FVR resulted in more telcos, more competition. But then, as regulators allowed the industry to contract by M and A, we are left with two telcos only that the NTC could not seem to regulate, it is the other way around. Here is a case of privatization, deregulation gone bad.  Did wristband have anything to do with this?

Baka the telco regulators naman maawa kayo sa publico. This post took me 1/2 day to complete. Hindi lang naman ito ginagawa ko.

Testing the internet speed.

I checked the internet speed test of Ookla (sponsored by Smart) and found out that my download speed was 3 Mbps while the upload speed was only 300 kbps which is of course higher than the required minimum speed of NTC of only 256 kbps.  Blame the regulators.(mabuti kamo di 28 kbps ang ginawang minimum)

You can check your internet speed by going to the sidebar and clicking the link.

Is the solution of our slow internet in the PHL in the skies?

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

Philippines, January 4, 2016

From WSJ - the future of internet is up in the skies

If our local business and govt leaders cant solve our slow internet problems quick, can we wait for high technology, or even the heavens to provide us with the answer.  There are three promising answers.

Three billion of the worlds 7 billion people have access to internet, meaning to say that more than 50% are not netizens.

The skies seem to be part of the solution:

1.  The current satellite technology.   Intelsat the largest provider of satellite services is working hard to provide internet to merchant marine and airplanes.   There are two problems with satellite:   you have low altitude satellite but you require more (like the Iridium project at 432 miles above the earth but  with 66 satellite) or you can have less with higher altitude say 23,000 miles up with geostationary orbit, and you need only three but there is a latency problem (delay) that does not contribute to the customer experience.  But there are new launch technology for satellite that makes them more likely to provide better internet service vs the land and sea based system.

2. The loon and the stationary drone project of FB and Google

The loon by Google consist of helium balloons that are 12 miles high in the stratosphere that beam signals in remote areas of the world, like Africa.  The cost of helium balloons/per would be 10% or even 1% of satellite cost.  We hope Google will do this soon.

The FB stationary drone project consist of drones powered by solar that are as big as 737 that does the same as the loon project of Google.  Of course we know that FB and Google will try to promote their own content and services.

FB to test its Aquila drones

But we see hope as competition can probably awaken the monopolies in the Phil to be faster and cheaper.

Can Digong Duterte make internet cheaper and faster in the PHL?

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

Happy Faster and Cheper Internet in 2016?

Is Davao City Mayor Digong Duterte the man who can do that?  Well he promised to cut the bullshit /red tape in the govt, to make basic economic and governance reforms like speeding up govt processes especially when handling the permits of businessmen. (as somebody, a Senator wannabee in Valenzuela City LGU exec promised)  To do that you need automation and yes faster internet.

Will he as many people imagined have the Death Squad process officials and hard headed business tycoons who stand in the way of the faster internet.  Eh kung magkaroon ng aksidente ang mga helicopter ng tycoons at taga regulate ng telco?   Kumilos kaya sila?   I am sure they do not want DD to become president.

I hope he wins so that the internet service in the PHL will get better?

Can a senior military officer who heads the communications facilities of AFP flex his muscle to level up the very slow internet speed?

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

November 15, 2015

Yesterday, as we were conducting the class, I could not finish the presentation, because the internet was very very very slow.

It happened that in the class, there was a senior ranking military man, who heads the telecommunications group of the AFP.  And so I had to appeal to him to use his position of power and might to help level up the internet speed.  I think that the internet speed does not affect only the oridinary citizen, but if affects every one including the military operations.  I hope this slow internet speed does not jeopardize the mission, and peace keeping activities of the military.  Will he help or not?

Poor response and awareness on the internet speed in the PHL

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

The page views to this site has not budged much since October 19.  Its either that this site is bad, or people do not care anymore or have given up hope that much can still be changed in our country.  And for very good reason.  We thought that after the dictator was gone in 1986, after the Americans left in the 1990s there will be no more isms in the country.

But we have duopoly or oligopoly  and they wear the same dress and graduated from the same school where we graduated.  Their professors must have given the same amount of time and effort to make them men for others.  But they are not.  The internet is being held hostage due to the obstinacy of the head.  They say he is the only problem to this internet thing.   The peering etc, the abolition of VIX in HK.

We can only pray for divine inspiration and intervention to inspire him to give in.

Or comes new dispensation, the new NTC head will simply enforce the telecommunications act:  encourage competition, and raise the bar of internet speed.

Bill of Rights of Telco Users under RA 7925 of 1994

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

October 19, 2015

Bill of Rights of Telecom Users:

This is under Section 20 of RA 7925

Stop the Cap - What the canadian consumers did to stop the rip off from telcos

ARTICLE VII. RIGHTS OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS USERS

 Sec. 20 Rights of End Users. - The user of telecommunications service shall have the following basic rights:

 a) Entitlement of utility service which is non-discriminatory reliable and conforming with minimum standards set by the Commission;

 b) Right to be given the first single-line telephone connection or the first party-line connection within two (2) months of application for service, against deposit, or within three (3) months after targeted commencement of service in the barangay concerned per the original schedule of service expansion approved by the Commission, whichever deadline comes later;

 c) Regular, timely and accurate billing, courteous and efficient service at utility business offices and by utility company personnel; and

 d) Thorough and prompt investigation of, and action upon complaints. The utility shall endeavor to allow complaints to be received over the telephone and shall keep a record of all written or phoned-in complaints. 

Fellow netizens, we might have been jaded all ready by abuses of telcos and ISPs Know your rights under the Public Telecommunications Act.   Telcos are required to send  timely and accurate billing. Although some telcos say that even without of bill, this Section says that practice is contrary to law.  And maybe we can complain if we are billed for services unrendered.

Why cant NTC, the IT regulator in the country, compel telcos which it regulate solve the slow internet in the PHL?

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

From Manila Bulletin

October 19, 2015

                                  Eh bakit minimum ng NTC 256 kbps eh dapat sila nagpromote para maaccess Pinoy sa lahat ng makabagong technology

Sen Chiz Escudero urged the NTC to start cracking the whip so that the telco, especially the giant one in order to solve the very slow and expensive internet in the Philippines.  The giant has refused to connect to the PHOpenX established by DOST. It has currently 33 members which include Globe, Eastern Telecom, Bayantel, Com Clark

Its data is currently routed to Hong Kong  Internet Exchange (HKIX) through a privately owned Vitro Internet Exchange. (VIX) According to the good senator, a telco that does that holds our country as a hostage.   An a regulatory body that cant enforce its mandate is inept.!

Why cant NTC force the issue?

1.  It is toothless?

2.  Does it not have legal mandate?

3.  Does it lack leadership?

NTC it is time to be pro people and do your job.  This is a govt of men.

4. Do the leaders care for the consumers/netizens?  Is NTC aware of its duty to do so?

IRR of NTC do not address the current problems of internet - its speed and charges etc.

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

This post tried to analyze the IRR as to whether they address the current issues of telecom:   internet and CP scams, cyber crimes, peering, fees and charges by telcos, penalties for telcos on bad service, violation of rules of NTC, and other laws

The IRR seen by this post concerned:

Interconnection of authorized Public Telecommunications Exchanges

IRR of RA 10515 protecting CATV from illegal wire tapping

IRR of RA 7925 which governs Carriers, Exchanges and CP companies/operators

From slideshare - Draft of anti cybercrime law

The laws does not govern mobile services and internet.  So the telcos and ISPs can do as they please because no laws govern their action.  So NTC is helpless vs scammers, telcos refusing to following peering, or there are no provisions for the charges and penalties being asked by telcos, and even penalties for erring telcos.  What we know is the rule of a very old law of which penalizes PU for only P200.00 per day.  (about $4.00 per day)  Peanuts.

For NTC, it can clearly regulate:

1.  radio rf and operations

2.  Telephone exchanges and  CATV,

How about ISPs and internet exchanges?

Cybercrime - (DOJ yata ang bahala?)

For false internet speed claims -  DTI daw? Ano walang pake ang NTC

Akala ko sila may mandate para asikasuhin ang bagong technology sa ICT according to Section 15 of RA 7925

NTC and the slow internet speed; how does it level up?

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

October 15, 2015

Mandate for NTC - make technologies accessible and affordable for Filipinos

NTC at Govt offices Directory

NTC Manual of Regulations - a hodge podge of Department Circulars from NTC and DOTC and Republic Acts.  Their manual should be regularized, hence at is we do not have clear procedures and directions or which are current and attuned to the current needs of the ICT in the Philippines which is progressing at quite accelerated speed

Laws governing telecom

A. TELECOMS

Republic Acts

Republic Act No. 7925

Republic Act No. 3846

Republic Act No. 6849

Rappler - NTC to start probing/testing internet speed

The NTC recently signed Circular 07 - 08 - 2015 last August 13 which set the lower limit for internet speed at 256 kb to be considered a broadband provider.  Penalty is set at  reprimand for first offense and P200.00 per day for the second offense.  If the telcos or ISP has variance in the speed as advertised vs actual, the consumer can go to DTI to file complain for truth in advertising (bakit sa DTI, hindi ba NTC regulator ng Telcos at ISP)  The penalty is based on 1936 law Public Service Act of 1936.

This news is uninspiring because 256 kbps is hardly classified as internet experience.  It like the dial up service of 1990.  According to Director Cabarios if we raise this beyond 256 kbps, there will be internet investors in the country.  The standard for foreign carriers is 4 mbps.

No wonder, we cant have better and faster internet service with this kind of mindset of regulators.   And we have a pre war regulations...But NTC is mandated to give great technology to customers/citizens right and live up to the times

Govt needs P800 billion for the next 10 years to bring internet up to speed - NTC

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress

October 18, 2015

From Manila Times

The government needs at least P800 billion for cap ex to level up telco infrastructure according to NTC Director Edgardo Cabarios.  The private sector cant be left alone to do the investment

Criticisms are all ready being levelled vs this article? Is NTC/DOTC going to compete with TELCOS? It has shown to be a poor businessman.  Look at the operation of MRT/LRT

1. Is this not going to be a repeat of the ZTE scandal?

2.  Why not let the giant dominant telcos handle this?

    1. Is this not part of their mandate in their franchise to do the cap ex and upgrade their facilities?

    2.  Their FS are open books being public companies.  Do they not earn enough to make the investment?

3.  There are other ways to have the private sector handle this:

    1. Encourage more competition.  Invite other telcos to come in.  We started with Telstra.  How about AT &T?  Bell system?  Break up the giant telco which managed to reverse the Ramos initiative of breaking up PLDT

    2.  PPP initiative

    3.  As for the IX, PHL or the telcos can outsource the same to companies that have the facilities and expertise to handle worldwide internet traffic like PACNET.

    4.  Tax holidays, perks for more cap ex... The govt does not have to spend a cent

                                           Dumarami na talaga, kaya bumabagal ang internet?

                                      May peering ba dito if PLDT and Globe cant connect directly?

4.  NTC must focus on its work as a regulator to enforce compliance by telcos no matter how dominant it is:

     1.  Peering

    2.  Checking internet fees;

     3.  Telco and ISP practices:

           1.  Fees

               Right now I object to the monthly fees that are paid in full without deducting outages due to any other problems,   No SOAs and arbitrary disconnect.  Exorbitant reconnection fees.

           2.  Plan caps

           3.  Throttling

           4.  Whitelisting for internet speed

           5. Monitoring internet scams and punishing the scammers.  There are many at internet and CPs

White listing data throttling/management by ISP and telcos?

Faster and cheaper internet access for progress
October 18, 2015

Can telcos white list speed test site, and effectively block consumers from finding out the true connection speed? Or give a higher reading as advertised, and whitelist the true speed, when connecting to other sites?

Using speed test on sites with ad blocker

From Geekzone forum - ISP can cache data and whitelist speed test

Are ISPs manipulating data traffic?