Opensignal: PH's Video Experience score improves by 32 percent in 2020

Independent mobile analytics company Opensignal revealed that the Philippines's Video Experience score improved by 32 percent versus 2019 for the fourth most improved in the world next to Thailand, Nepal, and Senegal.

File photo: Netlix on vivo V19

One of the most improved in the world

According to its latest study, the country's mobile video experience has been improving in recent years as operators continue to roll out LTE nationwide.

Data from Opensignal

Video Experience measures the average video experience of Opensignal users on 3G and 4G networks. It involves measuring real-world streams and takes picture quality, video loading time, and stall rate into account from more than 43 million devices from January 1 to March 30 in 2019 and 2020.

Based on Opensignal's latest Philippines Mobile Network Experience Report in April covering the period of November 1 to January 29, 2020, Smart posted video score of 55 which is well ahead of rival Globe's 39.8.

As of end-March, Smart increased its number of 4G/LTE base stations to 26,000, up by 6 percent versus end-2019 and 60 percent more than end-2018. PLDT's fiber infrastructure which supports Smart's is now at 338,500 kilometers nationwide, 5 percent more than end-2019, and up by nearly 40 percent from end-2018.

Smart also reallocated its assigned 1800 MHz frequencies from 2G to 4G LTE.  As a result, 3,785 base stations of Smart have also been providing additional capacity for its LTE network.

Globe Telecom has allotted USD 1.2 billion (around PHP 63 billion) capex in 2020 to improve its network. Meanwhile, PLDT slashed its PHP 83 billion capex to around 63 billion this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Source: Opensignal