Expat Forum For People Moving Overseas And Living Abroad banner

Looking for Most Reliable and Fastest Internet

25K views 77 replies 27 participants last post by  steveb47 
#1 ·
I need a reliable internet as I am online quite frequently.

I am coming there on January 16th and plan to visit few areas.


I am on a budget like alot of you. Work online with $800-$1000 a month


I do not plan to eat out everyday because it is just poor management of money.


I am just a simple young guy little wiser than your average 23 year old.


Really excited about my trip only concerned about pickpocketers and internet.


Any Advice is Welcome Expats.
 
#43 · (Edited)
Internet, many factors

Nothing is reliable in the phils actually.
I have tried 4 different ISPs here.
But if you need to subscribe one, go for PLDT.
It's the most stable connection here.
Many factors can determine what's best for the area you live in, for me it's the Globe tower and only 100 yds away, I live in a remote area, type of internet connection, if it's a thumb drive type of plug in's are very sluggish as compared to a cable or broadband hook up.

Another factor could also be who your communicating with.... mainly the US or the in-laws in the Philippines and what plan is used by the family here.

I have had Globe for 5 years and the Broadband tower was changed twice, other than that due to maintenance I have lost only 3 days of internet service the signal has been very good.
 
#45 ·
if you do opt for PLDT DSL just a little tip, leave the DSL modem on 24/7 as that way you will be more or less able to keep a connection running ( this comes from a PLDT engineer ) who has his own little internet shop just up the road !! and yes it does work !! since he told me my internet has been very stable. another tip every day do a speedtest ( for some reason it seems to keep the speed up as well )
something to do with PLDT computer system !
 
#49 · (Edited by Moderator)
I actually have not move to PI yet - been 11 years in Thailand - and that's enough! That Baguio weather is a magnet for me! Sounds a lot like San Jose, Costa Rica, where I lived 5 years prior to Thailand. Both high altitude.

Logically, what I need is to get a map - if one exists - of the areas of Baguio where fiber optic and/or DSL or good cable TV/Internet is available. I would THEN seek to rent a condo, etc in that area.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to obtain those areas?

This is REALLY a great forum, and it is nice to see that members are very helpful to each other!
 
#52 ·
Rogdas...THANKS for your input! Have you measured your speed with Globe? MBPS? If you just send emails, 3 or 4 will work. But I use the internet for my income and regularly transfer large files and I also like to watch streaming video and TV. I have 15 MBPS here in Thailand and it works OK. Do you have DSL?
 
#53 ·
have not measured the speed. I have used it to watch videos on you tube and surf around the internet when where there. my wife talks regularly with her family on Skype always seems to have pretty good connection.
don't know about transfering large files have never had the need.
we have had at least 2 ipads 3 phones and a lap top all picking up good wifi signal at the same time.
 
#56 ·
Internet Providers

I've been in Phil eight years and lived in Batangas, Cavite, Laguna and Bohol. I have had a variety of internet services. I have had DSL (over the air with a rectangular antenna), the stick that plugs into the usb port and wired to the computer. Without question, using a wired system is much better. The others can work depending on your proximity to the tower that sends the signal. I have excellent service with PLDT (Philippine Long Distant Telephone). Another small consideration is where and how can you pay for this and how much upfront money does it take to get rolling. Everything really depends on where you live and what is available there, you might not have many choices. You should get service for about P1000 monthly ($22.48 at today's exchange rate).:D
 
#57 · (Edited by Moderator)
THANKS for your input! I've lived in Thailand now for 11 years -- and I thought it was strange here! But the internet in PI is all over the board. One guy told me he has DSL. He thought it was OK. I asked him to CHECK THE SPEED at: speedtest.net It came back 1-2 MBPS which is a total joke! Anything less than 5 is almost worthless to me and to anyone who is using the internet for business. I have 15 here and it costs about $20 per month and is extremely reliable.

But I have heard there are parts of Baguio where fiber optic is available -- that should be about 20 - and totally reliable. I just have to find out where those areas are, and then look for an apt there.

<Snip>
 
#58 · (Edited)
Your gonna pay for Internet here

THANKS for your input! I've lived in Thailand now for 11 years -- and I thought it was strange here! But the internet in PI is all over the board. One guy told me he has DSL. He thought it was OK. I asked him to CHECK THE SPEED at: speedtest.net It came back 1-2 MBPS which is a total joke! Anything less than 5 is almost worthless to me and to anyone who is using the internet for business. I have 15 here and it costs about $20 per month and is extremely reliable.

But I have heard there are parts of Baguio where fiber optic is available -- that should be about 20 - and totally reliable. I just have to find out where those areas are, and then look for an apt there.

Check your speed and let me know what you find out.
Here's an idea of costs with PLDT and speeds, looks like the bundled plans aren't to bad, the total cost is more than advertised because of the Land Line.
https://shop.pldthome.com/?compare=337
 
#62 ·
DoctorJack another issue for someone who needs a good internet is power or should I say power outages, after or during typhoons and sometimes just strong winds, if you think these internet plans are bad wait till you see how long it takes to get the power restored and then your internet connection fixed. Aftermath of last years "Typhoon Glenda", we lost 60% of our roof, I made the mistake of cutting my DSL line because it was in my way, trying to salvage our roof that was laying on top of it, one week later the power was restored and I had our repairman connect the wires, sure enough the internet was working about 3 days later the repair crew came by to check on all the Internet lines, I had to wait an additional two weeks before I could restore power to my house because of the power lines ripped out.

We seem to have stable power currently, but it's been a concern "Power plants" and they do take them down for overhaul and repairs, when another one breaks down during this critical phase, it then can effect the power grid so basically what I'm trying to say if your making money off the internet, you'll also need a good reliable generator along with all those back battery packs (UPS) and voltage transformers/regulator as another back up for stable, safe power for your desk top/lap top protection.
 
#64 ·
I lived in Florida most of my life and we had the same problem with hurricanes, tropical storms and just thunderstorms -- power out for hours. I had a gasoline generator.. noisy, but gave me power for the fridge, a few lights and the stero for the parties. But do you think you could use one of those in a condo apt in Baguio? Obviously have to be outside on a porch balcony. They make them quieter now too. Of course, that doesn't solve the internet outages.

It sounds more like Baguio is a vacation spot in the non-storm season for me!
 
#65 ·
I just recently got the latest version that PLDT is offering. In select markets they have Fiber Optics available and it is fast and reliable. I love it. Not as much down time as their old DSL service and so much faster than DSL...and not as susceptible to storm interruptions such as typhoons and flooding since the fiber optic lines are run underground!

I am not sure if anyone else is offering Fiber Optics in the Philippines but the PLDT Service is great...at least it has been for me.
 
#66 ·
THANKS Cebu Citizen! Fiber Optic is exactly what I need. But I must somehow find the areas in and around Baguio City where it is offered - or will soon be offered. Once I know that, I can then look for a rental.

THANKS AGAIN to all the great members of this forum providing all this excellent insight!
 
#67 ·
Finding out anything is the major drawback I find. PLDT has been putting in underground cables all over Cagayan Valley even up to within a mile or two of my home but no one seems to know anything. The web site is useless but that is mostly true of IP’s no matter what country. Trying to find a walk in service center but no luck so far.
 
#69 ·
Thailand's internet services seem like heaven compared to what goes on there! Here there is heavy competition and the government has to approve everything.. The military has been running the government for about a year and it all runs much smoother. The government offices are more focused upon doing their jobs than politics. It appears there they are not focused on anything!

I think I'll wait about 6 months and then visit Baguio for a personal inspection of the living conditions.
 
#71 ·
And I thought that lazy workers doing just enough to get by or just enough to get a paycheck was a thing of the past but it seems to be wide spread here in the Philippines. Every now and then you will come across skilled workers that really seem to care what they are doing. This was the case when I ordered my Fiber Optics from PLDT. They told me it could take as long as two weeks to get the service connected because of the high demand but it turned out the installation crew arrived the very next day and did an awesome job.

It was May the 1st, (Friday), and I told them I really wanted to see the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight on the 3rd, (Sunday), and the installation crew was at my door bright and early on the 2nd, (Saturday). Not only did they get me all set up, they also did an awesome job rerouting all the cables and wires and fiber optics so they were mostly hidden and kept my living room looking nice and neat!

They installed three services; hooked up my wireless router internet, landline telephone with caller ID and Fiber Optics cable TV connections in less than 30 minutes and then they cleaned up after themselves before leaving.

We now have very fast and reliable internet and nearly 200 cable TV channels streaming to all of our devices: A Sony Bravia 70" big screen home theater TV system with Bose Surround Sound, a Lenovo home office computer, both mine and my wife's laptop computers, and both mine and my wife's Samsung mobile devices...all six devices are connected through the wireless router with full internet and TV channel functions.

And the best part...because the Fiber Optic lines are buried in the ground...PLDT internet services should not be affected by typhoons, high winds or other natural disasters and stormy conditions!

I did not know it at the time of purchasing the TV but the service technicians showed me how I can get the internet on my TV as well! So it does not matter who is watching TV or who is using the computer...there is always another option available. I love it!!!!! Couldn't be happier...
 
#74 ·
SORRY for the late reply...too much going on these last few weeks. PLDT was offering FREE installation right before the Manny Pacquiao fight...I guess they were using him as a tool to try to increase business. Anyway, I got free installation and set up and they only charged me a pro-rated partial month for the last few days of the previous billing cycle and then a full month for the current billing cycle. My TOTAL bill was 3,780.00php for the FIBER OPTIC Landline, TV and Internet package. Next months bill should only be the advertised 3,299.00 for the Triple Play Bundle.

That's about $75.00 US Dollars...can't get that kind f service in the US for that price.

I don't know what the current pricing is for their Fiber Optic Bundle or if they are still offering FREE Installation and Set-Up.
 
#73 · (Edited)
THANKS CC! Nice to get some positive news! Those are the kind of guys I tip WELL and get their personal phone number. Here in Thailand with internet very rare issues, I don't even call the company - I call my "buddy" and he comes that day - after hours - and I pay him $10-15 U.S. equivalent and it's fixed fast and correctly. Seems like that's the way to go there too.

I'm also curious about the installation costs .... although for me that's a minor factor, as is the monthly cost. Fast, reliable internet is absolutely mandatory for my business ventures.

Now it would be nice if they would do what you'd see in America -- a map of where fiber optics is currently available and where it will be in the future - with the expected dates. It doesn't sound like that will be forthcoming there!

THANKS again guys for the great input!
 
#75 ·
DoctorJack...you got that right! I try to do that every time I run across someone who seems to actually care about their work ethics and I ask them for their mobile telephone number and keep it handy for future reference. This practice has been a life saver here since my arrival. Every time I need to have some work done, I refer to my "List"...and if I don't have someone qualified for the type of work I need done, usually someone on my list knows someone who does that type of work. People with good morals and ethics seem to know each other, (Birds of a Feather Flock Together).
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top