Editorial: Internet reliability

Editorial: Internet reliability

MONDAY, September 21, was a nightmare for many who have integrated their daily activities online. The network of PLDT-Smart was down due to a fiber optic cable cut caused by construction work of other telecommunication providers and road-widening projects in some parts of Mindanao.

PLDT-Smart fiber optics transmission lines in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, and Barangay Lunocan, Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon, were cut due to separate construction activities.

PLDT Mindanao Area Consumer Experience Head Alan Abrina said during a report of the Davao City Council on Tuesday that this has caused major outages throughout their network. In an advisory, the telecommunications company stated that the impacts of the cut was felt in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Likewise, it was reported by netizens in some parts of the city that they also experienced slow internet connection with other internet providers. This was especially true in areas where the internet provider has no strong signal.

The incident on Monday resulted in some workers having trouble meeting with their deliverables, students not being able to join online classes, teachers unable to connect with their students, and troubles with communicating with one another. While some offices were able to get back on track with a back-up internet connection, others are unable to because they do not have the resources to have a back-up.

This is the sad reality many ordinary Filipinos are facing after they have been forced to do several work and school-related activities online.

However, the issues with the country's internet connection is more complicated when we think about it. The problems now are much visible now after many migrated to digital operations.

Among the issues faced by telecommunication firms in expanding their infrastructure is the long process of putting up cell towers. In a statement, Globe estimates that it takes an average of eight months and over 25 permits before it can build one cellular tower. However, the national government has already hastened the construction of cell towers with the Bayanihan 2 Act.

The country's existing laws also hampers the country from enjoying new technologies that will improve the internet connection in the country.

"The Philippines needs to upgrade its policies and regulation so that it will be appropriate for the digital age," Grace Mirandilla-Santos, Better Broadband Alliance lead convernor, during the 6th Mindanao Policy Research Forum.

Dr. Rogel Mari D. Sese, who is the chair of the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU), described Republic Act 7925, also known as the Public Telecommunications Policy Act of the Philippines, and Executive Order 467 (1998) as "analog" in a time of digital technology.

Sese said the current laws are hampering the development of satellite technology in the country. Satellite technology, coupled with existing telecommunications technology, is seen to greatly improve connectivity in the Philippines.

"If the Philippines does not update its analog land-line telephone-based policy, we lost the opportunity to benefit from new technologies, new business models, and innovative providers," Mirandilla-Santos said.

It is just sad that while there is a demand and need to transition some daily activities to digital because of the pandemic, we have to deal with poor internet connectivity.

While nobody saw the pandemic coming, internet connectivity in the country should have been improved several years ago considering the boom of the information and communications technology sector. The rise of the business processing outsourcing sector should have also served as a signal to telecommunication firms and the government to improve the internet in the country by updating existing policies and improving infrastructure.

Improving existing technologies and policies on internet connectivity will take time. We ordinary Filipinos will have to endure longer, go through more network outages, and suffer with the slow internet connection before we can enjoy better internet. If only we were all popular actors and actresses wherein with a post on twitter on how our internet is can get us a 300mpbs upgrade.

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