Telecommunications

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Telecommunications

Daily intelligence on the Telecommunications beat

Monday, September 28, 2026

Issue #93

NTC Fines Telcos as Globe Cites Speed Gains

The telecom regulator began charging Globe, Smart and DITO ₱100,000 a day over unchanged mobile broadband speeds, while Globe released government data showing its fastest August yet. Gig workers also pressed for the resignation of the ICT secretary over the brief Discord ban.

By the MMI Telecommunications Desk

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) began charging the country's three mobile network operators ₱100,000 a day each on September 25, saying its September speed tests found that poor mobile broadband signals in Metro Manila had not measurably improved from the first and second quarters of the year(https://businessmirror.com.ph/2026/09/28/regulator-to-penalize-telcos-for-poor-broadband-service). The show-cause orders cover DITO Telecommunity Corp., Globe Telecom Inc. and Smart Communications Inc., and the daily penalties run until the identified deficiencies are fixed(https://businessmirror.com.ph/2026/09/28/regulator-to-penalize-telcos-for-poor-broadband-service). Globe rejected the finding the same weekend, pointing to the Department of Information and Communications Technology's (DICT) own Telco Report Card, which it said showed its strongest network performance of 2026 in August(http://www.manilatimes.net/2026/09/28/business/corporate-news/globe-touts-improved-network-performance/2433700). Smart said it had not yet received the order and would not comment; DITO did not respond to queries(http://www.manilatimes.net/2026/09/28/business/top-business/globe-disputes-ntc-claim-of-poor-services/2433709).

Globe's numbers, drawn from the DICT report card, put its overall score at 81.5 in August, up 4.4 points from January, with average download speed at 45.9 megabits per second (Mbps) — 5.1 percent faster than July and 26 percent higher than the 36.5 Mbps recorded in January(http://www.manilatimes.net/2026/09/28/business/corporate-news/globe-touts-improved-network-performance/2433700)(http://dailyguardian.com.ph/blog/globe-network-performance-hits-2026-high-in-august). Network quality rose to 71.2 from 69.2, and latency held at 20 milliseconds(http://www.manilatimes.net/2026/09/28/business/corporate-news/globe-touts-improved-network-performance/2433700). Globe said it spent ₱26.3 billion in capital expenditures in the first half of 2026, mostly on data-related projects(http://ph.headtopics.com/news/globe-reports-2026-high-in-network-performance-amid-88196824)(http://ph.headtopics.com/news/globe-cites-26-rise-in-download-speed-since-january-88195844). Chief sustainability and corporate communications officer Yoly Crisanto said in a television interview that the company was "concerned by the NTC statement saying we have not improved services as the latest DICT report proves otherwise"(http://www.manilatimes.net/2026/09/28/business/top-business/globe-disputes-ntc-claim-of-poor-services/2433709).

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More Telecommunications

Veloso Pardon Signed; DICT Probes Breach of 48 Firms

President Marcos grants absolute pardon to Mary Jane Veloso, who returns to Nueva Ecija after nearly 17 years, while the DICT investigates a possible data breach affecting 48 companies in its accreditation program.

DICT Lifts Discord Ban After Child Safety Deal

The Philippines' ICT department restored Discord and Reddit access after the platforms agreed to faster removal of child-harm content, drawing mockery online and a legal challenge. Telco subscribers kept raising billing and plan confusion on Reddit.

Discord ban lifted in hours as CICC apologizes

The Philippine government blocked Discord on September 23 and lifted the ban the next day after the platform agreed to child-safety commitments, drawing heavy criticism online and forcing telcos to enforce and then reverse the block. Globe separately announced expanded digital and AI infrastructure for regional trade, and Smart launched a multi-model AI workspace for subscribers.

CICC Orders Reddit, Discord to Open PH Offices

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center gave Reddit and Discord 24 hours to set up Philippine offices, then granted an extension only to Reddit while Discord access was reported blocked on Globe, GOMO and DITO. The order followed a school shooting in South Cotabato and sits alongside a House threat to ban Meta and a proposed franchise requirement for large platforms.