Philippines Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 28 Jun 2021 Update History

Report Pages: 122

Analyst: Sebastien De Rosbo

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Philippines’ telecom sector weathers the Covid-19 storm

The Covid-19 pandemic had a relatively minor impact on the Philippine’s telecom sector in 2020. Subscriber numbers fell in some areas, but this was offset by strong growth in mobile data and broadband usage since a significant proportion of the population transitioned to working or studying from home. Major investment programs covering LTE, 5G, and fibre broadband networks suffered slight delays due to holdups in supply chains, but activity has since ramped up in an attempt to complete the rollouts as per the original schedule.

The major telecom operators had mixed financial results for the past year. PLDT reported record revenues, whereas Globe Telecom’s performance dropped below 2019 levels. The pandemic was partly the cause in both cases: shifts in customer behaviour during the enforced lockdown bolstered mobile data and broadband, whereas Globe Telecom’s leadership of the mobile market saw it suffer to a greater extent overall, as the total number of mobile subscribers fell in the first quarter of 2021. In spite of the setback, both companies predict a positive outlook for growth through the rest of 2021 and into 2022. Overall, the number of mobile subscribers is expected to grow to 153 million by the end of 2021, with the penetration rate approaching 144%.

PLDT and Globe Telecom have maintained their dominance of the Philippines telecom market, despite having their duopoly status removed by the government as far back as 2017. Two new entrants – DITO Telecommunity and NOW Telecom – have since become the third and fourth operators, but delays in their respective launch programs have caused minimal impact to the leaders’ market share. The government remains keen, and committed, to seeing strong competition, growth, and service excellence in the telecom sector, so there is likely to be continued support (financially as well as through legislation such as enabling mobile tower sharing and number portability) to ensure that the sector remains viable for emerging players.

The mobile sector will remain the Philippines’ primary market for telecommunications well into the future. The unique terrain and resulting challenges associated with accessing remote parts of the archipelago means that in many areas fixed networks are neither cost-effective nor logistically viable. Both PLDT and Globe Telecom continue to roll out fixed networks in some urban areas where it remains feasible to do so (primarily to support fixed broadband or — in Globe Telecom’s case — fixed wireless services). However, the bulk of telecoms investment over the coming years will continue to be in 5G and 5G-enabled LTE networks. Coverage of LTE and 5G networks extends to over 95% of the population, and for the vast majority of people mobile will likely remain their only platform for telecom services.

This report update includes the regulator’s market data to March 2021, telcos’ data to Q1 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, and recent market developments.

Key Developments

Smart, Global Telecom, and DITO Telecommunity launch 5G commercial services.
NOW Telecom secures provisional authority to extend its licence to offer LTE as well as 5G services.
DITO launches mobile services.
Increase in investment and deployment of new data centres to support content-intensive 5G services, including new entrants such as Alibaba Cloud.

Key companies mentioned in this report:

PLDT, Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, DITO Telecommunity, NOW Telecom, Huawei, Nokia, Alibaba Cloud

Key statistics
Regional Asian Market Comparison
Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Economic considerations and responses
Subscribers
Infrastructure

Telecommunications market

Market overview

Regulatory environment

Regulatory authority

Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT)
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)

Fixed-line developments

Interconnection
Foreign ownership rules
Access

Mobile network developments

SIM registration
Mobile spectrum
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Network sharing

Mobile market

Market overview
Major mobile operators

Smart Communications
Globe Telecom
NOW Telecom
DITO Telecommunity

Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G / LTE

Mobile broadband

Fixed broadband market

Fixed broadband statistics
Fixed broadband service providers

PLDT
Globe Telecom

Fixed broadband technologies

Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Wi-Fi

Fixed network market

Fixed network operators

PLDT
Globe Telecom

Telecommunications infrastructure

National telecom network

Fixed-line network
National Broadband Network (NBN)
Internet Exchange Points (IXPs)

International infrastructure

Submarine
International gateway facilities (IGFs)
Satellite systems

Data Centres

Data centre providers

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – 2021 (e)
Table 2 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Table 3 – Change in the number of mobile subscribers by major operator (million) – 2013 – 2021
Table 4 – Mobile subscriber market share by major operators – 2013 – 2021
Table 5 – Change in the total number of PLDT’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 6 – Growth in the number of Smart’s mobile subscribers by category (million) – 2009 – 2021
Table 7– Growth in the number of Sun Cellular’s mobile subscribers by category (million) – 2011 – 2021
Table 8 – Growth in the number of TNT’s mobile subscribers – 2009 – 2021
Table 9 – Development of Smart’s mobile ARPU by category (PHP/subscriber/month) – 2009 – 2021
Table 10 – Development of Sun Cellular’s mobile ARPU by category (PHP/subscriber/month) – 2011 – 2021
Table 11 – Change in TNT’s mobile ARPU – 2009 – 2021
Table 12 – Change in the number of Globe Telecom’s mobile subscribers by type (million) – 2011 – 2021
Table 13 – Globe Telecom’s prepaid mobile subscribers by brand (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 14 – Development of Globe Telecom’s mobile ARPU by segment (PHP/subscriber/month) – 2013 – 2021
Table 15 – Development of Globe Telecom’s mobile revenue by service (PHP million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 17 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Table 18 – Growth in the number of PLDT’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 19 – Change in PLDT’s fixed broadband ARPU – 2012 – 2021
Table 20 – Growth in the number of Globe Telecom’s fixed and fixed wireless broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 21 – Increase in PLDT’s fibre network length – 2017 – 2021
Table 22 – Increase in the number of PLDT fibered premises (million) – 2017 – 2021
Table 26 – Change in the number of PLDT’s fixed-line subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 29 – Growth in the number of Globe Telecom’s fixed-line voice subscribers – 2011 – 2020
Table 30 – Change in the number of fixed lines and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Table 31 – Historic - Total mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1995 – 2010
Table 32 – Historic - Mobile services revenue – 2006 – 2014
Table 33 – Historic - Globe Telecom mobile subscribers – 2001 – 2010
Table 34 – Historic - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2007 – 2010
Table 35 – Historic - Internet users and penetration – 2007 – 2016
Table 36 – Historic - PLDT broadband subscribers – 2005 – 2010
Table 37 – Historic - PLDT fixed-line subscribers – 2001 – 2010
Table 38 – Historic - PLDT’s mobile subscribers – 2006 – 2010
Table 39 – Historic - Growth in the number of PLDT’s fixed-line broadband subscribers – 2008 – 2010
Table 40 – Historic - Globe Telecom fixed-line subscribers – 2002 – 2010
Table 41 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and penetration – 1995 – 2010
Table 42 – Historic - Growth in the number of Globe Telecom’s broadband subscribers – 2007 – 2010
Table 43 – Historic - Development of PLDT’s Group capex – 2008 – 2010

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Asian Telecoms Maturity Index by Market Category
Chart 2 – Asian Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita
Chart 3 – Telecoms Maturity Index – South East Asia
Chart 4 – Fixed and mobile broadband comparison – South East Asia
Chart 5 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Chart 6 – Change in the number of mobile subscribers by major operator – 2013 – 2021
Chart 7 – Mobile subscriber market share by major operators – 2013 – 2021
Chart 8 – Change in the total number of PLDT’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 9 – Growth in the number of Smart’s mobile subscribers by category – 2009 – 2021
Chart 10 – Growth in the number of Sun Cellular’s mobile subscribers by category – 2011 – 2021
Chart 11 – Growth in the number of TNT’s mobile subscribers – 2009 – 2021
Chart 12 – Development of Smart’s mobile ARPU by category – 2009 – 2021
Chart 13 – Development of Sun Cellular’s mobile ARPU by category – 2011 – 2021
Chart 14 – Change in TNT’s mobile ARPU – 2009 – 2021
Chart 15 – Change in the number of Globe Telecom’s mobile subscribers by type – 2011 – 2021
Chart 16 – Development of Globe Telecom’s mobile ARPU by segment – 2015 – 2021
Chart 17 – Development of Globe Telecom’s mobile revenue by service (PHP million) – 2012 – 2021
Chart 19 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Chart 20 – Growth in the number of PLDT’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 21 – Change in PLDT’s fixed broadband ARPU – 2012 – 2021
Chart 22 – Growth in the number of Globe Telecom’s fixed and fixed wireless broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 23 – Increase in the number of PLDT fibered premises – 2017 – 2021
Chart 27 – Change in the number of PLDT’s fixed-line subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 30 – Growth in the number of Globe Telecom’s fixed-line voice subscribers – 2011 – 2020
Chart 31 – Change in the number of fixed lines and penetration – 2011 – 2026

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Key Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 2 – South East Asia - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country
Exhibit 3 – Major submarine cables with landing points in the Philippines
Exhibit 4 – Philippines’ data centre providers and specifications

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Philippines Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Philippines’ telecom sector weathers the Covid-19 storm

Key Developments

Key companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Asian Market Comparison

Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed broadband market

Fixed network market

Telecommunications infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

Purchase with Confidence

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views