Globe to PLDT: Open up IP peering to improve internet speed

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Globe to PLDT: Open up IP peering to improve internet speed
Globe says that an all-inclusive IP peering arrangement among major internet service providers in the country is still needed to boost local Internet speeds

MANILA, Philippines –  Globe Telecom has called on rival the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) to open up its IP peering arrangement in order to boost local internet speed for all Filipino users.

“An all-inclusive IP peering arrangement among major internet service providers in the country is still needed to boost local Internet speed,” Globe Telecom said in a statement released Sunday, September 27. (READ: New internet speed minimum: throwback to ’90s?)

The statement follows PLDT’s announcement last September 7 that it would become the 3rd physical connection point of the Philippine Open Internet Exchange (PHOpenIX). (READ: PLDT promises faster loading gov’t websites)

It also signed a memorandum of agreement with government agencies, which would allow most if not all government offices to be locally peered and thus improving their Internet speeds.

PLDT’s arrangement with PHOpenIX does not require the country’s largest carrier to exchange traffic with other ISPs via the local Internet exchange however.

Instead, the deal will only allow PLDT clients to peer directly with government websites through the PHOpenIX.

“From a technical perspective, localization is optimization. Any amount of traffic localized will contribute to access improvement and cost savings. However, given that around 80% of access content is foreign, there is minimal impact on Internet speed. What we need is an all-inclusive IP peering arrangement among all Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Peering of PLDT clients with government sites won’t cut it,” Globe General Counsel Atty. Froilan Castelo said. 

The remaining 20% is local traffic – traffic originates in the Philippines and terminates in the Philippines. However, of this 20% supposedly local traffic, up to 70% is routed outside the country, such as in Asia, US and Europe, before returning to the Philippines, he added.

Instead of getting routed directly between origin and destination locally, traffic is routed outwards through others networks, incurring additional IP transit costs, before the data is routed back to its target destination,

This causes delays in data transmission effectively slowing Internet connectivity, Castelo explained.

“Still, competition’s decision to connect with PHOpenIX is a step towards the right direction. At the end of the day, anything that will boost local internet speed is beneficial for the entire industry and we will be supportive of such initiatives,” Castelo emphasized.

Maintained by DOST ASTI (Advanced Science and Technology Institute), PHOpenIX is the only exchange in the Philippine Internet industry operated by a neutral institution that allows the exchanges of Internet traffic in a free-market environment among local internet and data service providers.

Globe open to partnering with PLDT

According to Castelo, Globe is open to have IP peering effected with PLDT, whether by mandate of the government or through a bilateral arrangement.

“Peering offers a variety of advantages for our customers. As more and more of our customers shift to a digital lifestyle, we want to deliver as much traffic as possible in a way that provides optimal user experience,” he said

An all-inclusive IP peering arrangement among ISPs will keep a big portion of local data traffic local, minimizing the transmission and reception time. This means that the application access will be shorter.

This, Castelo said, will result in better customer experience and delays and time outs on customer applications such as games are minimized, he explained.

Castelo also pointed out that that IP peering arrangement in developed economies usually covers all data traffic of ISPs concerned.

This, he added, will also ease the country’s dependence on international cables and prevent a repeat of a 2008 incident, where major international cables damaged because of an earthquake in Taiwan prevented Philippine customers from accessing local sites, government websites, and local email. – Rappler.com

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