Gatchalian urges telcos to address slow internet speed for distance learning in provinces

Senator Win Gatchalian urged more wholesale bandwidth providers to enter the provincial market to improve the speed of internet service for distance learning.

Gatchalian made the call after telecommunications companies in the provinces revealed during Wednesday's Public Services Committee hearing that they can only provide 2 megabits per second (Mbps) up to 20 Mbps of internet speed, way below the average for live events. The minimum speed for streaming video is at least 3 Mbps.

This raised concern to Gatchalian in the wake of the scheduled school opening on October 5, when the country's estimated 28 million learners would begin to take lessons online.

"When school opens on October 5, we have a total of 27.9 million learners-24.5 million kinder to senior high school and 3.4 million in the tertiary level expected to depend on internet connectivity. We can anticipate internet congestion especially during peak hours when most, if not all, are online for their distance learning," said Gatchalian.

"Small players, who in effect act as resellers to their subscribers, need to buy more bandwidth from the service providers. It could even bring down the high cost of internet service," the senator added.

Gatchalian also took note of the lack of digital infrastructures in the provinces.

Currently, there are 17,850 existing cell sites in the Philippines according to the 2019 3rd Quarter Report by TowerXChange, an informal network advisor in the market tower industry worldwide. But the country, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) recently said, needs at least 50,000 additional cell towers to improve services.

"While we cannot address this overnight, considering the infrastructure gap in this issue, there's still a solution in sight to address the clamor for improved telecommunication services as we struggle in adapting to the new normal," Gatchalian pointed out.

He was referring to the provision in the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 which gives telcos a three-year window to construct cell towers sans the issuance of close to 40 permits from concerned national agencies and local government units (LGUs).

Except for the building permit, Bayanihan 2 temporarily suspends for three years the requirements to secure other permits and clearances for the construction of telecommunications and internet infrastructure.

Gatchalian urged stakeholders to take advantage of the said suspension of the documentary requirements and permits in building cell towers.

"Walang hindi makikinabang kung bibilis na ang internet connectivity dito sa atin. Mula bata, na ngayon ay nakadepende na sa distance learning, hanggang sa pinaka simpleng pangangailangan natin - food deliveries, bills payment at kung anu-ano pa - lahat pwede mo nang magawa online. Sana samantalahin ng mga telcos ang pagkakataon na binibigay sa kanila ng batas," he said.

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Gatchalian kinalampag ang telcos na pabilisin ang internet connection para sa distance learning sa probinsya

Hinikayat ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang mga wholesale bandwidth providers na mamuhunan sa mga probinsya at palakasin ang internet connection para sa distance learning ng mga estudyante.

Napag-alaman ni Gatchalian na ang mga telecommunications companies sa mga probinsya ay may bilis lamang na 2 megabits per second (Mbps) hanggang 20 Mbps para sa internet service. Sadyang napakabagal nito, samantalang ang minimum speed para sa video streaming ay nasa 3 Mbps.

Hindi ito sapat para kayanin ang video streaming ng mga guro, bagay na ikinabahala ni Gatchalian lalo pa't dito nakadepende ang nasa 28 milyong estudyanteng papasok sa October 5.

"Sa pagbubukas ng mga eskuwelahan, may 24.5 milyon na kinder hanggang senior high school at 3.4 milyon na nasa tertiary level na nakadepende sa internet connectivity, maitawid lamang ang kanilang mga aralin. At kung sabay - sabay na silang mag online o kapag inabot na ang peak hours, magkakaroon ng internet congestion at mas babagal pa ang internet connection," pagdidiin ni Gatchalian.

"Sa ganitong sitwasyon, ang nakikita nating solusyon ay kumuha ng bultuhang bandwidth ang mga maliliit na telcos sa service providers para sa mas maayos na internet service dahil makakapag-engganyo ito ng kompetisyon sa industriya at malaki ang posibilidad na bumaba ang presyo sa merkado," dagdag pa ng senador.

Aminado si Gatchalian na hindi agaran ang solusyon sa problema lalo na at may malaking kakulangan sa aspeto ng imprastraktura at mabibilang lamang ang mga lalawigan na may mga cell sites. Sa kasalukuyan, ayon sa Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) kulang pa ng 50,000 na cell towers ang bansa para masiguro ang mas maayos na internet connection. Sa ngayon kasi, lumalabas na may higit 17,000 lamang na cell towers sa bansa.

Ani Gatchalian, matutugunan ang problemang ito ng Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 na nagsususpinde sa loob ng tatlong taon sa karamihan sa mga ahensya sa gobyerno at lokal na pamahalaan na humihingi ng sangkaterbang permits para sa mga nag a-apply na magpatayo ng cell towers.

"Walang hindi makikinabang kung bibilis na ang internet connectivity dito sa atin. Mula bata, na ngayon ay nakadepende na sa distance learning, hanggang sa pinaka simpleng pangangailangan natin - food deliveries, bills payment at kung anu-ano pa - lahat pwede mo nang magawa online. Sana samantalahin ng mga telcos ang pagkakataon na binibigay sa kanila ng batas," he said.