Telecommunications in the Philippines

1905

The Spanish authorizes Eastern Extension to construct and operate the first submarine cable linking the Philippines and Hong Kong. The Philippine Islands Telephone and Telegraph Company is American-owned which started operations in 1905 in Metro Manila.

1928

In 1928, merged with Cebu, Panay, and Negros Telephone and Telegraph companies to form the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT).

1932

In 1932, the colonial Philippines congress granted PLDT a 50-year franchise to operate a national telephone system. The establishment of the Public Service Commission to regulate the industry as well as other utilities, meanwhile the Bureau of Posts was created to operate telegraph services nationwide. ====Post-independence, 1946–1969==== Initially, PLDT was managed by Americans, including the American company General Telephone and Electric Corporation (GTE) as a major stockholder.

1946

In 1932, the colonial Philippines congress granted PLDT a 50-year franchise to operate a national telephone system. The establishment of the Public Service Commission to regulate the industry as well as other utilities, meanwhile the Bureau of Posts was created to operate telegraph services nationwide. ====Post-independence, 1946–1969==== Initially, PLDT was managed by Americans, including the American company General Telephone and Electric Corporation (GTE) as a major stockholder.

1963

(d/b/a Eastern Communications) *Streamtech Fiber Internet (formerly Planet Cable) *Royal Cable *Parasat Cable TV *Asian Vision Internet users: 76 million (2018) Country code (Top level domain) :.ph ==Government laws affecting telecommunications== August 10, 1963: Republic Act No.

1967

However in March 1967, GTE disposed of their 28% controlling interest in PLDT.

Which is why in November 7, 1967, the Philippines Telecommunications Investment Corporation (PTIC) was registered to buy GTE's controlling interest.

1968

PTIC formally took control of PLDT on January 1, 1968.

1973

Eventually, by 1991, PLDT had 94% of the total lines. ====Martial law developments==== Marcos' Presidential Decree 217 in 1973 mandated all PLDT subscribers to invest in PLDT to raise its equity and finance its expansion program.

1974

The Bureau of Telecommunications (Butel) handled the government telephone system, which by 1975 had 34,643 operational telephone lines, or about 10.2% of the total telephone capacity of the country. There were also four major companies with license for international data communication. Eastern Extension, a franchise was transferred to the Eastern Telecommunication Philippine Incorporated (ETPI) in 1974.

1975

The Bureau of Telecommunications (Butel) handled the government telephone system, which by 1975 had 34,643 operational telephone lines, or about 10.2% of the total telephone capacity of the country. There were also four major companies with license for international data communication. Eastern Extension, a franchise was transferred to the Eastern Telecommunication Philippine Incorporated (ETPI) in 1974.

By 1975, around 60 small telephone companies provided 11.7% of the total telephone capacity at the time.

1976

PLDT==== In 1976, the Philippine Association of Private Telephone Companies was organized to protect the interest of small telephone companies.

1981

These loans assisted PLDT's dominance, and PLDT became the single largest private recipient of foreign loans to the Philippines. In 1981, a National Telecommunications Development Plan was released.

1987

In 1987, the DOTC adopted a series of policies aimed at rationalizing the development of the industry.

1989

3846, An act providing for the regulation of radio stations and radio communications in the Philippine Islands, and for other purposes. December 21, 1989: Republic Act No.

1991

Eventually, by 1991, PLDT had 94% of the total lines. ====Martial law developments==== Marcos' Presidential Decree 217 in 1973 mandated all PLDT subscribers to invest in PLDT to raise its equity and finance its expansion program.

Cellular mobile services began in the country only in 1991.

1994

But PLDT would successfully block new entrants to the industry by filing various legal challenges. In 1994, the NTC and several other industry players devised the Service Area Scheme (SAS) This scheme was in response to imbalanced demand of telecom companies in urban areas over rural areas.The SAS attempted to allow companies to earn profits but also ensure that part of those profits would be channeled to serve less profitable areas.

In 1994, Globe launched its digital cellular services, pioneering the use of Global System for Mobile Communications Technology (GSM).

1995

The industry was deregulated in 1995 when President Fidel Ramos signed Republic Act 7925 (The Public Telecommunications Policy Act of the Philippines).

The industry was deregulated in 1995, leading to the creation of many telecommunication service providers for mobile, fixed-line, Internet and other services. ==History == ===Pre-reform === ====Colonial period==== Two private companies offered telecom services namely Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company which is a subsidiary of Britain's Cable and Wireless.

6849, An act providing for the installation, operation and maintenance of public telephones in each and every municipality in the Philippines, appropriating funds therefor and for other purposes. March 1, 1995: Republic Act No.

1997

In fact, Globe popularized the short messaging service (SMS) through adding it for free with their basic services. When the 1997 financial crisis stuck, there were two consolidations that happened in the industry.

1999

In September 1999, PLDT purchased Smart Communications absorbing it as a 100-percent owned subsidiary.

2000

In May 2000, the number of cellular phone subscribers exceeded the number of fixed line subscribers.

2001

In June 2001, the Globe-Islacom Merger was completed.

2008

The most recent survey was conducted in July 2008 in eight Asian countries, including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Pakistan, Thailand, and the Philippines.

2012

According to the TNS Digital Life Study of 2012, about 81% of urban Filipinos use the internet to keep in touch with their relatives abroad.

2015

The use of a mobile phone for offers the cheapest way overseas Filipino workers (OFW) to send money or remittances to their families back in the Philippines. Furthermore, in a study done in 2015 by the US-based Pew Research Center, 88% of Filipinos consider the internet good for education.

According to the 2015 Survey on Information and Communication Technology, 61.9% of establishments have Local Area Network (LAN).

2016

Despite most Filipinos wanting to be connected, the Akamai Q3 2016 report states that the Philippines ironically has the second slowest fixed line broadband Internet speed in the world. Based on this Q2 2017 report by Akamai, the Philippines' average internet speed (IPV4) was a lowly 5.5Mbps, which was below the global average of 7.2Mbps during the time of the study.

The dismay in the Internet and Communications Technology (ICT) of the Philippines can be seen simply through their pricing points and comparing that to the neighboring countries in South East Asia. In 2016, an Australian telecommunications company called Telstra was having talks with San Miguel Corporation (SMC) to enter to the Philippine market as the third player.

2017

However, both still lost subscribers during 2017 as the market went through consolidation. Although based in the Philippines, there is foreign ownership in PLDT (76%) and Globe (73%)—resulting a duopoly in the telecom industry.

Despite most Filipinos wanting to be connected, the Akamai Q3 2016 report states that the Philippines ironically has the second slowest fixed line broadband Internet speed in the world. Based on this Q2 2017 report by Akamai, the Philippines' average internet speed (IPV4) was a lowly 5.5Mbps, which was below the global average of 7.2Mbps during the time of the study.

2019

Meanwhile, Globe Telecom announced its plans to release 5G within the middle of 2019. ====SMS==== SMS services are very common in the Philippines, from news briefs to multimedia services.




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