Mobile data costs down drastically to P7/GB
Data costs in the Philippines have decreased by two-thirds to nearly P7 per GB, as connectivity coverage and speed improved when the government resorted to real-time analytics to check on telco performance.
The cost of mobile data in the Philippines has plummeted by two-thirds, now roughly P7 per gigabyte, according to a recent report from Ookla. This dramatic reduction in pricing comes as the government utilized real-time analytics to assess the performance of telecommunications companies. In 2023, the average cost of mobile data was P21.5 per GB, but this has since dropped to P7.07 per GB.
This price decrease is accompanied by significant improvements in both broadband and mobile speeds, reaching 108.94 Mbps and 43.8 Mbps respectively as of the first quarter, up from 89.58 Mbps and 25.29 Mbps three years earlier. Additionally, telcos have broadened their 5G coverage to 62 percent, up from 22 percent between 2023 and 2026, making 5G technology more accessible to the general public.
This expansion is largely due to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) working in tandem with Ookla to offer real-time data on internet service performance. The independent monitoring by the DICT, in collaboration with Ookla, has provided the government with a more reliable basis for oversight. This partnership has allowed the DICT to publish policy proposals to legislators based on the data collected and to enforce service enhancement rules, particularly for remote and underserved areas.
The DICT also uses this data as technical evidence when raising concerns with telcos regarding poor service. Consumers can now check provider performance through the DICT's Oplan Bantay Signal, which offers transparency and feedback on service quality. Ookla has made their analyst Speedtest tool available for free to anyone interested in checking their internet speed, as well as Speedtest Intelligence for businesses and governments looking to monitor trends in the connectivity sector.
Written by urgent.news from Philippine Star Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
