Whenever we experience hiccups in our smart home or office WiFi network, it’s almost second nature to visit Speedtest.net and check how our Internet connection is faring. But why is this particular website the most recommended resource for connectivity–and who is the company behind it?
What is Ookla, and why are they the standard?
Speedtest.net is the flagship product of Ookla, a US-based global benchmarking company. The organization touts itself as “the global leader in network intelligence and connectivity insights,” setting the industry standard for mobile and broadband
network speeds across the globe. To date, Speedtest.net has been used over 47 billion times since its inception in 2006.
Speedtest utilizes more than 15,000 servers from countries around the globe to ensure the utmost accuracy and comprehensive analytics on Internet performance and accessibility. In fact, a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
recognized Ookla and Speedtest as “the best of the currently available data sources for assessing the speed of ISPs broadband access service,” crediting the use of multiple servers for measuring data as the reason for the company’s effectiveness.
What’s more, Ookla is independent of any internet service provider–its goal as an organization is to provide “objective, accurate performance data…to improve connectivity for all,” giving consumers, business owners, and
industry leaders insight into what makes an Internet connection stable and reliable. Through the Speedtest Awards, Ookla also recognizes service providers who deliver consistent results that not only meet their standards but benefit their subscribers
as well.
What goes behind the Speedtest Awards methodology
The Speedtest Awards for Internet service providers (ISPs) takes a number of factors into consideration, which are detailed further below:
● Location and Provider - This refers to ISPs who provide services for a significant number of subscribers in a specific area. To be considered under this criteria, the provider must meet a minimum number of unique users testing
their service with Speedtest every day–among other relevant factors.
● Sample Construction and Aggregation - In order to prevent skewed or fraudulent data, Ookla collects and aggregates speed test results from users after they go through a “sample construction” process. This, in
turn, generates standardized data points that Ookla utilizes for further analysis. As a result, each unique user receives a fair representation of the data.
● Speed Score - Ookla determines who the fastest carrier is based on a measurement of different providers’ download and upload speeds, resulting in a Speed Score. Eighty percent of the Speed Score is attributed to download
speed, while the remaining 20% accounts for upload speed. In fact, the speed test takes into account a network’s download speeds and median speeds over a specific period, since these are the metrics that an average user will encounter from their
ISP on a daily basis.
● Fixed Network - From a network’s generated Speed Score, Ookla takes into account speed test results that have been conducted on different Speedtest applications (both wired and WiFi) that are connected to a fixed network.
From these criteria, Ookla has recognized PLDT as the “undisputed fastest Internet in the Philippines,” based on Speedtest Intelligence results generated in 2022.
PLDT’s commitment to delivering quality Internet speeds
From the first to the fourth quarter of 2022, PLDT achieved a Speed Score of 86.52, with 220.86 Mbps for download speeds and 260.95 Mbps for upload speeds. What’s more, this is the fifth year that
Ookla has recognized PLDT for delivering fast and reliable network connections, with Speedtest Intelligence data granting us the title of “Philippines’ Fastest Internet Five Years in a Row.“
This accolade is a first for PLDT, and for the Philippines–affirming our commitment to consistently fast speeds for all our subscribers. In addition, PLDT is still the only telco in the Philippines that delivers the fastest fiber-optic speeds of
up to 10Gbps.
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Left to right: Marc Roxas, PLDT Enterprise Assistant Vice President and Category Head for Enterprise Internet and Digital Solutions; Vic Tria, PLDT Enterprise First Vice President and Head of Enterprise Revenue Group for Domestic Enterprises and Public Sector Vic Tria; Edith Gomez-Cudiamat, PLDT Enterprise Vice President and Head for Enterprise and International Business Solutions - FIXED; Mitch Locsin, PLDT and Smart First Vice President & Head of Enterprise & International Business Groups; Luke Deryckx, Ookla CTO; Alfredo Panlilio, PLDT and Smart President and CEO; Jeremiah de la Cruz, PLDT Senior Vice President - Head of Home Business Group; Kuljeet Randhawa, Ookla Senior Vice President and Global Head of Sales and Enterprise Services; Alex Caeg, PLDT Senior Vice President and Head of Consumer Sales Group; Roderick Santiago, PLDT and Smart Network Head; Chet Alviz, PLDT Enterprise Vice President and Head of Wireless Product Management & Marketing; and Rachel Tablante, PLDT Enterprise Head of Brand Strategy.
“This recognition affirms our commitment to not only help improve the lives of more Filipinos but to further advance the Philippines as a competitive and ideal business transit hub for global partners,” Alfred Panlilio, CEO and President for
PLDT and Smart, stated during the Ookla awarding ceremony for PLDT.
PLDT’s move to continuously build its network infrastructure has brought an improvement in the country’s Internet speeds–not to mention placing the Philippines on the map as one of the nations with the fastest Internet connections in
Southeast Asia, alongside Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
As we move toward the future of tech and digitalization, PLDT is committed to providing the Philippines’ Fastest Internet for enterprises and households across the Philippines. With this recognition from
Ookla, we will continue to improve the lives of more Filipinos, starting at home.