Philippines Communications - 2021

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 4,255,808

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3.96 (2019 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 167,322,432

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 155.61 (2019 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment:

high unemployment and rural population impede investment in fixed infrastructure; dominance in the mobile segment and rapid development of mobile broadband; investment focused on fiber infrastructure in urban areas with 4G available in most areas; national broadband plan to improve connectivity in rural areas underway; data center and smart city pilot in Manila; submarine cable link and satellite improves telecom for the region; major exporter of integrated circuits to China, and importer of circuits and broadcasting equipment from China (2021)

(2020)

domestic: telecommunications infrastructure includes the following platforms: fixed line, mobile cellular, cable TV, over-the-air TV, radio and (very small aperture terminal) VSAT, fiber-optic cable, and satellite for redundant international connectivity; fixed-line 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular 155 per 100 (2019)

international: country code - 63; landing points for the NDTN, TGN-IA, AAG, PLCN, EAC-02C, DFON, SJC, APCN-2, SeaMeWe, Boracay-Palawan Submarine Cable System, Palawa-Illoilo Cable System, NDTN, SEA-US, SSSFOIP, ASE and JUPITAR submarine cables that together provide connectivity to the US, Southeast Asia, Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Australia (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Broadcast media

multiple national private TV and radio networks; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; more than 400 TV stations; about 1,500 cable TV providers with more than 2 million subscribers, and some 1,400 radio stations; the Philippines adopted Japan’s Integrated Service Digital Broadcast – Terrestrial standard for digital terrestrial television in November 2013 and is scheduled to complete the switch from analog to digital broadcasting by the end of 2023 (2019)

Internet country code

.ph

Internet users

total: 63,588,975

percent of population: 60.05% (July 2018 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 5,920,087

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5.51 (2019 est.)

NOTE: The information regarding Philippines on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Philippines 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Philippines 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.