The Philippines continues to trail behind its Southeast Asian neighbors in terms of airport internet speed, with the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) struggling to provide stable and fast connectivity. According to recent findings from connectivity intelligence firm Ookla, NAIA’s broadband speed averaged only 17.9 Mbps from January to March, making it the third slowest among six airports in the region.
In comparison, Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport led with the fastest broadband speed of 48.3 Mbps, followed by Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 44.96 Mbps and Singapore’s Changi Airport at 28.24 Mbps. Meanwhile, Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Vietnam’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport recorded the slowest speeds at 14.98 Mbps and 7.34 Mbps, respectively.
Ookla’s report emphasized that airports with connectivity speeds below 25 Mbps, including NAIA, pose significant inconveniences for travelers, hindering basic online activities such as video chatting or streaming. Moreover, NAIA has the second worst mobile speed in the region at 48.86 Mbps.
NAIA, a 42-year-old airport, is slated for a major rehabilitation project starting in September. The project, led by San Miguel Corporation’s New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation, is a P170.6-billion initiative aimed at overhauling the airport over the next 15 years to enhance the travel experience for both domestic and international passengers.
In contrast, Changi Airport in Singapore boasted the fastest download speeds among five Southeast Asian airports at 120.26 Mbps, followed by Suvarnabhumi Airport at 95.12 Mbps and Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 49.4 Mbps.
Ookla, based in Seattle, specializes in providing connectivity insights globally and is a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, a prominent digital media and internet company.
