Proposed bill will require minimum 10 Mbps internet for Metro Manila
A win, if passed
Per GMA News, Senate Bill 1831 or the ‘Better Internet Act’ has been filed by several senators, which will set a required minimum internet speed in different areas of the Philippines. The bill was reportedly authored by senators Ralph Recto, Grace Poe, and Manny Pacquiao.
Under the proposed act, telecommunications and internet service providers must grant a minimum download speed of 10 Mbps for fixed broadband and 5 Mbps for mobile in highly urbanized cities (HUCs)
Based on the Department of Health website, HUCs are cities that have ‘a minimum population of 200,000 inhabitants, as certified by the National Statistics Office’ and have an ‘annual income of at least 50 million pesos’. PhilAtlas classifies districts under the National Capital Region as such.
Alternatively, cities not included in the category will settle for 5 Mbps and 3 Mbps, while rural areas are set at 3 Mbps and 2 Mbps, respectively.
Aside from the minimum standards, the bill will also prohibit providers from advertising speeds that they cannot consistently provide, which is one of the common gripes of every dissatisfied customer ever.
Telcos will be given three years to comply from the moment the proposed law takes effect. Failure to so will merit a fine between PHP 20,000 to PHP 2 million, with the possible revocation of license after repeated violations.
The news comes after the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) secretary Gringo Honasan claimed that the average speed of 3-5 Mbps is ‘not that bad’, prompting a firestorm from the Internet.
Hoping the bill pushes through
The post <b> Proposed bill will require minimum 10 Mbps internet for Metro Manila </b> appeared first on WE THE PVBLIC.
Source: we the pvblic
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