Tomorrow, Globe Telecom will begin offering its fiber-broadband network at adjusted rates that won’t be prohibitively pricey for many, albeit initially only in upscale communities and condominiums. The top-tier offer promises superfast speeds at one gigabit, or 1,000 megabits, per second, by far the fastest commercially available broadband plan in the Philippines.
Gigabit Internet isn’t for everyone just yet, though; the initial rollout only includes Acropolis, Bel-Air Village, Forbes Park, Greenmeadows, Urdaneta Village, and White Plains. Not to mention, customers would have to pony up a pretty sizable sum monthly — P9,499, to be exact — to browse the Web at breakneck speeds on a par with those of Singapore and South Korea.
To browse the Web at breakneck speeds on a par with those of Singapore and South Korea, the gold standards of telco services, you’d have to pay P9,499 monthly.
Speaking of those two modern gold standards of telecom services, how does Globe’s gigabit plan compare to other plans in other parts of the world in terms of pricing? I decided to compare broadband prices and I found that it is perhaps problematically, on the expensive side.
In Singapore, for example, 1Gbps of fiber broadband from local telecom MyRepublic is priced at $35, or roughly P1,200, while two 1Gbps connections under a single account would cost you $60 (P2,000) monthly. Gigabit broadband from South Korean Internet service providers would run you 35,000 Korean won (P1,500). Meanwhile, if you live in an area in the U.S. where Google Fiber is available, Google will charge you $70 (P3,300) per month for gigabit speed.
| ISP | Country | 1Gbps plan cost per month (in PHP) |
|---|---|---|
| Globe Telecom | Philippines | P9,499 |
| MyRepublic | Singapore | P1,200 |
| KT, SK Broadband, LG U+ | South Korea | P1,500 |
| Google Fiber | U.S. | P3,300 |
| Hyperoptic | U.K. | P4,300 |
| Eir | Ireland | P4,500 |
Even if we double the rates mentioned above, Globe’s gigabit service still comes across as expensive compared to similar offers overseas, though I doubt that would ultimately affect the decision of monied people who, for whatever purposes, absolutely need a superfast Internet connection.
A not-so overwhelmingly impressive connection that never hits its advertised speed, however, might make them regret their choices. Because if there is one criteria by which the supposed fastest broadband service in the Philippines should be judged, it’s speed. If people are paying a huge premium for insane download speeds, it’s not a huge stretch to imagine that they’d want to get their full money’s worth.
Even if we double the rates mentioned above, Globe’s gigabit service still comes across as expensive compared to similar offers overseas.
Still, if Globe really does deliver on the promise of gigabit connectivity, it could revolutionize the Internet landscape in the Philippines as we know it. I’m told PLDT is expected to unveil its own gigabit service sometime next week. Hopefully, the pricing is more aggressive than what we’ve seen so far.
Image via IStockphoto.com
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