Dito defends internet speed results after further tests show slowdown

MANILA, Philippines — Dito Telecommunity, the country’s newest telecommunications player, defended its recent technical audit results showing blazing fast internet speeds.

The audit, conducted by the independent company RG Manabat & Co., showed that Dito achieved a minimum average internet speed of 80.13 megabits per second on its 4G network and 858.96 Mbps for 5G when tested in last july.

A third-party OpenSignal poll, however, said in an Aug. 30 report that users across the country were experiencing slower speeds.

Additionally, OpenSignal said Dito’s speeds lagged behind competitors Globe Telecom and Smart Communications from June until the period of its recent network test.

At a press conference Thursday, September 9, Dito’s chief executive said the results verified by RG Manabat were “fair and fairly accurate”.

Dito’s chief technology officer, Rodolfo Santiago, added that the results followed parameters set by the National Telecommunications Commission.

Santiago explained that although Dito has more than 3,000 cell sites, only a specific number has been tested by auditors, a process approved by the NTC.

He said one of the reasons for slower speeds in third-party surveys could be due to the user’s distance from cell sites.

For example, auditors perform the test near, midway, and away from a cell phone tower.

But internet speed data collected by participatory surveys could have been based on tests done “beyond far-off points,” he said.

“If you test well beyond these points, it will (sic) result in slower speed,” Santiago said.

OpenSignal said in its report that Dito speeds were the highest when opening into a new market.

When the company made its commercial debut in Central Metro Cebu and Davao City on March 8, Dito hit speeds of 16.2 and 16 Mbps, which were faster than its competitors.

The company roughly matched its competitors’ 20.6 Mbps average when it rolled out services to metro Manila last May.

OpenSignal said Dito’s speeds declined over a 60-day period starting June 6 of this year.

“The initial drops in average speeds observed by our Dito users are not surprising. It’s common for initial network launches to lead to a volatile network experience, ”OpenSignal said.

“On the one hand, operators will work to resolve early network startup issues and add base stations and capacity, which should improve the experience,” he added.

Santiago also provided updates on the rollout on Thursday, saying Dito was available in 233 areas across the country and will add 53 more locations this month.

Dito was also set to offer wireless home broadband over its 5G network by the year, given the clamor for fixed internet during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company had allocated 4 billion pesos for the initial phases of its home network of submarine cables. According to Santiago, Phase 1 will connect parts of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and has been operational since March this year. Meanwhile, Phase 2 will connect Palawan and includes the Visayas and Mindanao loop which will provide network redundancy.

BST

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