Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
WITH many Filipinos both here and abroad expected to use the Internet to keep in touch with their families during the holidays, the National Telecommunications Commission should keep close watch on the performance of the country’s Internet service providers, according to Sen. Francis Escudero.
According to Escudero, the NTC should monitor if the companies are providing their advertised Internet speeds throughout the holiday season.
“There should be no traffic in Internet connection at all hours, especially during the Christmas holidays. The NTC and the telcos know that there is a rush hour during December so they should have been prepared for this,” Escudero said in a statement.
Consistent Internet service is a must as many families have come to rely on web-based communication applications, he said.
“This is so our countrymen will no longer be forced to spend money on regular call and short messaging service to reach out to their relatives in the absence of reliable Internet connection,” he said.
He also said the NTC should audit the coverage and quality of service of the telecommunication firms and come up with rules and guidelines on acceptable speed and cost of Internet service in the country.
This way, it could also determine the gravity of the country’s slow Internet connection problems, he said.
The telecommunication firms could also be compelled to invest in infrastructure and technologies development to be able to provide faster web connection to subscribers, he added.
Internet speed in the Philippines has been found to be one of the slowest and most expensive in the region, and has been the subject of numerous complaints from consumers.