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The Philippines is certainly one of the most well-connected places in Southeast Asia in terms of telecommunications. Sometimes it does seem like every Juan is not only busy sending text messages but also with updating his Facebook or Friendster account!

In today’s globalized world, you probably rank connectivity as one of the most important factors to consider when travelling, conducting business and even moving overseas. If the Philippines is your target destination, this article will give you an idea of what to expect with Internet access in the country.

Speed

One thing that may disappoint you with the Internet in the Philippines, if you are used to high-speed broadband Internet back home, is that connecting speeds are in general slower than in other countries such as Japan and the USA. While a speed of 2 Mbps may seem slow in other countries, this speed is already considered pretty standard for households here. Moreover, if your subscription is advertised as 2 Mbps, it really means up to 2 Mbps — don’t expect to get the whole 2 Mbps speed all the time, or even at all!

But it is not at all as bad as it seems. If you’re the type who downloads huge files over the Internet then you will obviously be at a disadvantage, but for most other personal purposes such as reading the news, watching videos and keeping in touch through email, instant messaging and social networking sites, the speed you get in the Philippines does the job well enough.

More high-speed connections (that is, connections that have more bandwidth) that bigger businesses utilize, such as BPOs and call centers, are available, but they are very expensive and not at all practical for homes and smaller offices.

Availability

The good news is that it is easy to get and stay connected. Broadband Internet is usually available by subscribing to cable companies such as Destiny Cable and ZPDee Cable, or through DSL subscription with providers such as Globe Telecom, Smart Communications and PLDT.

Mobile Internet is very quickly gaining popularity for users who need access to the World Wide Web on the go. Students, entrepreneurs, journalists and bloggers — they can stay connected whilst being on the move through services such as Globe Broadband Tattoo or SmartBro Prepaid, whereby users can plug in a USB modem to their laptops and be online wherever they are as long as Cellular signal is available from their respective Network Provider.

Also available are 3G Services from major telecomm companies, where you can access the Internet through your 3G-enabled phone like iPhone, Black Berry or HTC Magic (on either postpaid or prepaid mobile phone plans).

Wi-Fi internet is also becoming commonplace across cities in the Philippines. You can find it at places as varied as airports, cafes, schools and even some fastfood restaurants! More often than not, you will need to pay for something to be able to access the network (e.g. cafes may charge you an hourly rate for using their wi-fi), but you may also be able to access some networks entirely free of charge, if your laptop or smartphone can pick up the signal. In Davao City, for example, you do have to pay for your cup of coffee or pastry at a dizzying number of coffee shops that have mushroomed all over the city, but in return, wi-fi access is free, for as long as you stay in the cafe (and that can take hours, or until guilt starts tugging at your conscience, whichever comes first).

In more far-flung areas or provinces in the country, availability is admittedly more restricted, but internet service providers are striving every day to improve and optimise their coverage as much as possible.

Davao4Expats Notes: There is a new website in Davao where digital technologies are being discussed. You will be getting information on the prices of mobile phones, netbooks, and other electronic gadgets. Product reviews from other sources are also referenced and shown on the website. The website is DigitalDavao.com.

Internet For Business

More high-speed connections (that is, connections that have more bandwidth) that bigger businesses utilize, such as BPOs and call centers, are available, but they are very expensive and not at all practical for homes and smaller offices.

Internet Connection Cost

Quality Internet access has increasingly become less and less painful on one’s budget. An unlimited broadband connection such as with SmartBro is available for P 999 a month (and depending on the subscription, you may or may not have to pay an initial fee). Unlimited connections, however, usually require you to be locked in to a contract of anytime between 1 to 2 years.

Prepaid subscriptions don’t have lock-in periods in general, but as the service suggests, connections are pay-per-use and not unlimited. Initial payments may also cost higher for prepaid subscriptions, but just like a prepaid phone plan, you are in control of how much or how little time you spend on the Internet. An hour’s worth of surfing may even only cost you as low as P20.

You can hence be assured that staying connected will not be a problem for you in the Philippines! Perhaps a bigger problem may be resisting the urge to check your email, weblog or Facebook too much in one day.

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Internet in the Philippines is written by Katlyn Batuigas. Internet Access is among the most common questions we received from the visitors of Davao 4 Expats Website. This is our response.