Philippine fixed broadband users are seeing stronger performance from major telcos, as Converge, PLDT, and Globe emerge with standout metrics in the latest Opensignal report.
Converge ICT takes top honors for fastest download speed, video experience, and reliability experience, with national averages reaching around 56 Mbps download. Globe GFiber wins the Consistent Quality category with a score of 68.1%, demonstrating steadier performance of HD streaming, gaming, and video conferencing tasks. PLDT emerges as the leader in upload speed, averaging 42.3 Mbps, outpacing the competition.
In previous reports, Converge also led nationwide in both download (52.8 Mbps) and upload (35.9 Mbps) speeds, significantly ahead of PLDT and Globe. However, in those periods, Globe and PLDT tied for the best consistency scores (50.7-51.7%), exceeding Converge’s, while Smart lagged behind.
PLDT consistently claims the top spot for peak download speed—in some regions exceeding 300 Mbps—though average download speeds still fall short compared to Converge. Users of Globe, meanwhile, benefit from more stable connections, especially during peak period usage and in regions outside major metropolitan areas.
Fixed wireless access (FWA) also shows growing relevance: in segments where fiber is less accessible, providers using FWA are picking up ground in speed, accessibility, and customer satisfaction. The report suggests this trend helps bridge the urban-rural broadband divide—but also places pressure on providers to maintain both speed and reliability.
For telcos, Opensignal’s findings make clear that boosting raw speed is no longer enough: consistent quality, upload capability, and uninterrupted service are becoming equally important competitive differentiators.
Meanwhile, the reliability experience metric, which evaluates a household’s ability to stay connected and complete tasks without interruption, underscores lingering service fragility.
OpenSignal’s findings also reflect the growing role of fixed wireless access (FWA) and 5G-based broadband in supplementing fiber deployments, especially in areas where fiber rollout is difficult. Providers using FWA have gained traction and contributed to recent speed gains in underserved markets.
Despite the improvements, the report suggests that service interruptions and “dead zone” coverage gaps continue to plague user experience—especially in rural, remote, and geographically-challenged areas. For many households, seamless streaming, gaming, or work-from-home tasks remain a gamble.
The report’s conclusions signal a crucial juncture for ISPs and regulators alike: as broadband becomes essential infrastructure, ensuring consistency and reliability may now be just as important as raw speed.
