PLDT and Globe fanboys, make some noise? The duopoly is NOT REAL… at least from a corporate perspective, because businesses apparently have a variety of choices for their internet service provider (ISP). For the average residential consumer, we are seemingly left with a strong competition between PLDT and Globe Telecom. There are other popular ISPs though like the ABS-CBN subsidiary, Sky Broadband, and the emerging Converge ICT Solutions Inc.
While you rant or brag about your respective ISPs, let us present to you other regional ISPs that you may not heard of yet.
[Author’s note: The list below is sorted alphabetically. The label “requires inquiry” means that the pricing is likely to be quoted upon submission of personal and corporate information. This list is subject to change.]
Originated way back in 1878, Eastern Telecommunications Philippines, Inc. (ETPI) is the first telco company in the Philippines. That was during the final era of Spanish colonization providing first telegraph services. Today, Eastern Communication caters mostly to businesses (enterprise and SME—small and mid-size enterprise) and to residential market as well. It has extensive portfolio of ICT solutions such as Data, Internet via fiber optics, Voice, Managed Services, Data Center & Cloud Services, and Cyber Security Services.
Moreover, did you know that this ISP is jointly owned by PLDT and Globe? ETPI is one of the subsidiaries of Vega Telecom which are all under the umbrella of San Miguel Corporation (SMC) as part of their telco business sector. In 2017, a deal was closed between SMC and PLDT – Globe Telecom acquiring Vega Telecom and its subsidiaries under a joint ownership. Mindblown.
Premier service: Select areas in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, South Luzon, and North Luzon
Residential Plans:
- Plan 998 up to 10 Mbps
- Plan 1498 up to 30 Mbps
- Plan 1898 up to 50 Mbps
- Plan 2498 up to 80 Mbps
- Plan 2798 up to 100 Mbps
Business Plans: (requires inquiry)
IntegraNet Network Services claims to be the fastest internet in Mindoro and Batangas Provinces. They provide “total Managed Network Services” that comprises Managed Data Center Service and Colocation Service, Managed LAN, WAN, Gateway, Wireless Network and other Network Support Services, MPLS and IP VPN Services, Web and Application Hosting and Network / Application Monitoring / Data Security.
Premier service: Mindoro and Batangas Province
Residential Plans:
- “Basic Home” Plan 2499 up to 10 Mbps
- “Premium Online School” Plan 4999 up to 20 Mbps
- “Platinum Extreme Gaming” Plan 9999 up to 40 Mbps
Business Plans:
For SMEs in CALABARZON area:
- PLAN 3499 up to 10 Mbps
- PLAN 4999 up to 15 Mbps
- PLAN 9999 up to 25 Mbps
For SMEs in Puerto Galera area:
- “SMB 2” PLAN 3500 up to 2 Mbps
- “SMB 4” PLAN 6000 up to 4 Mbps
- “SMB 10” PLAN 10000 up to 10 Mbps
- “SMB 20” PLAN 15000 up to 20 Mbps
There are also enterprise plans “Dedicated Internet” and “Platinum Plan”, however pricing requires inquiry.
NOW Fiber Air is a brand under the umbrella of NOWNetwork.PH—a joint project of NOW Corporation, News and Entertainment Network Corp. and NOW Telecom, Inc. That’s a lot of “nows”. You may ask why didn’t I just mention the telco company itself? Well, as of writing, their website is buggy and checking its copyright year, it was still in 2019. The website of NOW Fiber Air is much more functional, at least.
NOW Fiber Air caters broadband and fiber optic internet to upper-class residential and commercial areas in Metro Manila. Under the brand, they offer businesses packages such as: Fiber Air POWER suitable for heavy bandwidth hungry industries such as finance, media broadcast, and health care. There is Fiber Air BURST for frequent bandwidth boost that they recommend to boutique hotels, review centers, and travel agencies. Fiber Air BIZ BOOST that is fit for SMEs. And NOW Fiber Air PREMIUM that offers Gigabit speeds for enterprises with critical operations such as banks, BPOs, logistics, manufacturing, government, media, and healthcare.
While the residential plan called Fiber Air HOME also comes with NOWPlanet.TV wireless cable TV.
Premier service: Metro Manila
Residential Plans: NOW Fiber Air HOME (requires inquiry)
Business Plans: (requires inquiry)
Radius Telecoms, Inc. is wholly owned subsidiary of MERALCO. Radius only caters to business enterprises and SMEs with offerings of data, internet, managed & cloud services. Radius claims having aa robust & fully redundant network that runs on 100% pure fiber.
Premier service: Metro Manila, Clark, and Cebu (with plans to expand in other Visayan major cities)
Residential Plans: N/A
Business Plans: (requires inquiry)
No. This ISP is not related to the defunct red mobile. Interestingly, this internet service is under Radius Telecoms which is intended only for the residential market. Just like Radius, it runs on pure fiber network that “utilizes Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) as last mile technology.”
The RED Fiber’s Dual Play packages also comes with FREE CignalTV which provides wide array of HD Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) channels.
Premier service: Select areas in NCR, CALABARZON, Central Luzon, and Cebu
Residential Plans:
- “Dual Play” PLAN 1699 up to 35 Mbps
- “Dual Play” PLAN 2399 up to 50 Mbps
- “Dual Play” PLAN 2999 up to 100 Mbps
All these packages come with FREE CignalTV bundle. There are also Internet-only plans.
Business Plans: N/A
RISE, short for Responsible Internet Sustainability Effort Inc. mainly offers fiber connectivity to business enterprises and SMEs, locally and internationally. RISE claims to be having 98% customer recommendations offering uninterrupted minimum speed of 10 Mbps with up to 100 Mbps achievable speed for Fiber SME Plan. Enterprise plans, on the other hand, gears toward international businesses as it offers speeds customizable up to 250 Mbps with pricing USD currency pricing. RISE also have “proactive monitoring” which they will contact the customer immediately when there’s any problem.
Premier service: Metro Manila and Metro Cebu
Residential Plans: N/A
Business Plans:
Fiber SME Plan 10000 up to 100 Mbps
Enterprise plans
- Small 700 USD/month up to 50 Mbps
- Medium 1000 USD/month up to 75 Mbps
- Large 2000 USD/month up to 200 Mbps
- Custom (requires inquiry) up to 250+ Mbps
Thru RA 11089, series of 2018, Streamtech is a new telco player holding a 25-year Congressional franchise. Or simply, it was granted rights to telco operations and maintenance. They claim to have established strong “peering with Tier 1 global internet upstream providers” that are mostly in the Asia-Pacific and United States routes. Streamtech also expanded their capacity to multiple Gigabit connectivity.
Additionally, Streamtech will takeover internet systems operations of Planet Cable, Inc. which has been offering cable TV services, cable-internet, and digital video broadcast. Thru Planet Cable’s fiber optic backbone link, Streamtech is capable to provide bandwidth and dedicated internet access, leased line, CCTV and WIFI services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in its serviceable areas.
Premier service: Regions I, III, NCR, CALABARZON, Iloilo Province, Guimaras, and Davao
Residential Plans: (Fiber only)
- Fiber Home PLAN 1499 up to 25 Mbps
- Fiber Home PLAN 1999 up to 50 Mbps
- Fiber Home PLAN 2499 up to 75 Mbps
- Fiber Home PLAN 3499 up to 150Mbps
Business Plans: (Fiber only)
- Streamtech Negosyo (the same as Fiber Home Plans)
- Streamtech Biz (for enterprise, requires inquiry)
Honorable Mention(s)
You thought I forgot? Well, here comes a new challenger! Dito Telecommunity Corporation is a consortium of thru Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corporation’s Dito CME Holdings Corporation, and China Telecommunications Corporation. DITO is formerly known as Mislatel (Mindanao Islamic Telephone Company, Inc. The said consortium won the government bidding to become the third major telco provider in the Philippines. Thus, challenging the long prevailing duopoly of Globe Telecom and PLDT.
DITO, aside from being mobile operator, provides fiber plans as well. In recent reports from 2021, Dito Telecommunity already hit over three million subscribers. For now, DITO only offers mobile prepaid services. DITO plans on opting to broadband internet services this year using 5G technology once their network build is complete.
Premier service: PH Nationwide
Residential Plans: (not yet available)
Business Plans: (not yet available)
InfiniVAN provides high-speed internet via fiber optic technology up to 100 Mbps to enterprise customers, cable TV operators, and fellow ISPs. They also supply various ICT solutions such as data co-location, international data line, VOIP, and cloud services for businesses. This telco company is backed by an investment group that is comprised of a Filipino-owned holding company, Corporate One, and a Japanese Type 1 International telecommunications carrier, IPS, Inc. which is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
InfiniVAN says that their cornerstone lies in the multiple high-capacity submarine cable systems that connects with global network hubs in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, U.S., and other locations. Plus, a “terrestrial and submarine backbone” that covers and interconnects Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in the Philippines.
Premier service: PH Nationwide
Residential Plans: N/A
Business Plans:
- 30 Mbps (SME Plan) Php 21,600
- 40 Mbps (Premium Plan) Php 34,800
- 100 Mbps (Infini Plan) Php 84,270
The Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (PT&T) supplies internet connectivity with up to Gigabit speeds via fiber optic technology that is suited to residential, micro, small or medium business, or distributed enterprise. They focus on two major businesses: Connectivity and IT services thru a wide range of offerings under Infrastructure, Productivity, Cybersecurity, Resiliency, and Communication product segments.
Premier service: PH Nationwide
Residential Plans: (needs inquiry)
Business Plans:
- Enterprise at Plan 20000 (no specified speeds)
- SMEs at Plan 1499 (no specified speeds)
Are you satisfied with your current ISP? Why or why not? Comment down below your experience so far!
+1 for RISE.ph for being proactive in monitoring customers :)
I agree with you. No restrictionsv in FDI, a unicameral parliamentary federal form of govt. A language policy that is cognizant and will encourage our diversity
For me, we need to amend the section 12 of 1987 constitution that states, “40% foreign direct investments” because of this we are still left behind to our Asian neighbors and most of them are allowing 100% foreign direct investments. We need to delete FDI restrictions so that more foreign telcos will be invest here so that the internet speed will be increase and the price will become affortable to everyone and also we can choose any telcos we want. Aside from 100% FDI, shift to federal form government. If we allow 100% foreign direct investments here and federal system, more provinces will be giving a chance to become progressive, more job offerings, less OFWs, less decongestion of Imperial Manila and the way of living will become prosper.