Philippines to have faster internet connection by 2020
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is assuring Filipinos of faster internet speed — almost similar to that of Singapore — by next year, with the arrival of a third telecommunications firm, whose license will likely be out this month. Eliseo Rio, the DICT’s acting secretary, said Mislatel is expected to start its operations in the first quarter of 2020, giving existing telco players Globe and Smart healthy market competition. Mislatel is composed of China Telecom, owned by the Chinese government, as well as Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corp. and Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. Rio said Mislatel will likely be given the frequencies it has won and its permit to operate by the end of the month. He said Mislatel’s entry into the country’s telco industry is expected to make a huge improvement in the country’s ICT environment, adding that the Philippines is among the lowest-ranked nations in the region in terms of internet speed.