ICT Sector Performance Review for Philippines

Abstract

The Telecom Regulatory and Policy Environment Survey (TRE Survey) is a tool to measure stakeholder perceptions about the effectiveness of the regulatory and policy environment, on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being highly ineffective, 5 being highly effective, and 3 the mid-point for average performance). Seven key dimensions of regulation (market entry, access to scarce resources, interconnection, regulation of anti-competitive practices, tariff regulation and quality of service regulation) based on the WTO regulatory reference paper assessed separately for 3 telecom sub-sectors (mobile, fixed and broadband). Results of the TRE Survey for 2011 shows that stakeholders perceive the TRE in the Philippines to have declined overall, and in every segment (Fixed, Mobile and Broadband).

More specifically, only market entry and interconnection for Mobiles had a better score compared to the last survey conducted in 2008. As such, the overall average for mobile is practically the same as in 2008. As for Fixed Lines, considering that there has been very little development in the area, the decline could be attributed to sampling differences, especially with participation among small telephone operators in this round of the TRE.

The segment with the biggest decline, and with the lowest overall score was in the broadband sector. This is indicative of the area where most of the telecommunication providers see as their primary growth area. This is also the service that a growing segment of the market is increasingly becoming more concerned with. As an emerging field, it is also the area where policy has not yet caught up with the issues associated with the technology. Emerging concerns include access to frequencies, establishing standards for service quality, and the perennial question of universal access.