Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumers' connectivity experiences. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding what happens when people use their mobile and broadband connections in their daily life.
Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumers' connectivity experiences. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding what happens when people use their mobile and broadband connections in their daily life.
DITO collects all four speed awards across the board — both overall and 5G. It confirms its supremacy for 5G Download Speed, winning it for the second time in a row with a score almost twice as fast as Smart’s. Our users also see the fastest overall download speeds on DITO’s network, clocking in at 34.6Mbps.
Smart wins the 5G Coverage Experience award for the third report in a row. It does so with a score of 1.5 on a 10-point scale, finishing ahead of Globe’s 0.7 points and DITO’s 0.3 points. This means Smart has the widest and largest 5G geographical coverage in populated areas out of all mobile operators in the Philippines.
DITO is the outright winner of both the Consistent Quality and Reliability Experience awards. DITO wins the Consistent Quality award with a score of 60.8%. It remains the Filipino Reliability Experience winner with a score of 825 points on a 100-1000 points scale.
Globe wins the Coverage Experience award outright for the third report in a row. Globe wins with a score of 7.3 points on a 10-point scale in a narrow victory over second-placed Smart. DITO still trails the competition significantly with a score of 3.5 points.
DITO is the outright winner of the Video Experience and 5G Video Experience awards. Our DITO users have the best video experience in the Philippines both when measured across all generations of mobile technology and on 5G connections alone. DITO wins the Video Experience award with a score of 57.3 points on a 100-point scale and places first for 5G Video Experience with a score of 73 points on a 100-point scale.
DITO is the outright winner in Upload Speed Experience and Consistent Quality in each of the Philippines’ 17 regions. It also wins outright in all bar one regions for Video Experience and Voice App Experience
DITO accumulates the most awards in this report, winning 13 out of 16 awards outright and sharing honors with Globe for the 5G Games Experience award. Globe and Smart are outright winners in one award apiece — Coverage Experience and 5G Coverage Experience, respectively.
DITO was also the most awarded operator in the last report, while Globe won the most awards in 2023 and Smart won the most awards in 2022. Having launched commercial services in March 2021, DITO now dominates the mobile network experience landscape.
Smart was recently recognized as a 5G Global Rising Star in Opensignal’s 5G Mobile Network Experience Awards 2024. Smart was named a 5G Global Rising Star in both 5G Games Experience and 5G Voice App Experience. Among the large land mass group, our Smart users observed the third largest year-on-year (YoY) percentage increase in 5G Games Experience with an increase of 11.2%. Of the same cohort, our Smart users observed the second largest YoY increase in 5G Voice App Experience with a rise of 3.4%. Smart has recently announced that it will be ramping up the deployments of its 4G and 5G networks for the rest of 2024 to meet the growing demand for mobile data in the Philippines.
DITO was recognized in Opensignal’s 5G Mobile Network Experience Awards 2024 as a 5G Global Leader. Within the large land mass group, our DITO users observed 5G Availability with a score of 28.7% and 5G Download Speed with a score of 302.1Mbps. As a result, DITO placed in the top ten for both of these categories.
In this report we examine the mobile network experience of the three main mobile network operators in the Philippines —Globe, Smart and DITO—over a period of 90 days starting on July 1, 2024 and ending on September 28, 2024, to see how they fared.
DITO is the outright winner of the Video Experience award for the second report in a row. DITO wins with a score of 57.3 points on a 100-point scale, while Globe and Smart are statistically tied for second place.
All three operators place in the Fair (48-58) category. This means that our users in the Philippines are, on average, able to stream video at 720p or better with satisfactory loading times and substantial stalling.
Video Experience scores account for adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR), a technology that allows Opensignal to accurately represent users' real video experience including video streams up to 4K quality.
Opensignal’s Video Experience quantifies the quality of video streamed to mobile devices by measuring real-world video streams over an operator's networks. The metric is based on an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach, built upon detailed studies which have derived a relationship between technical parameters, including picture quality, video loading time and stall rate, with the perceived video experience as reported by real people. To calculate video experience, we are directly measuring video streams from end-user devices and using this ITU approach to quantify the overall video experience for each operator on a scale from 0 to 100. The videos tested include a mixture of resolutions — including Full HD (FHD) and 4K / Ultra HD (UHD) — and are streamed directly from the world’s largest video content providers.
In addition to Video Experience, we report on the following metrics related to video experience:
DITO wins the overall Games Experience award outright for the third report in a row. It does so this time with a score of 67.2 points on a 100-point scale. Smart earned a modest lead over Globe for second place, breaking a statistical tie from the previous report.
DITO places in the Fair (65-75) category, while Globe and Smart users place one category lower, in Poor (40-65).
A Fair (65-75) rating means that users find the experience to be ‘average’. In most cases, the game is responsive to the actions of the player with most users feeling like they have control over the game. The majority of players notice a delay between their actions and the outcomes in the game. A Poor (40-65) rating means that most users find this level of experience unacceptable. The majority of users see a delay in the gameplay experience and they do not receive immediate feedback on their actions. Many users feel a lack of controllability.
Opensignal’s Games Experience measures how mobile users experience real-time multiplayer mobile gaming on an operator’s network. Measured on a scale of 0-100, it analyzes how our users’ multiplayer mobile gaming experience is affected by mobile network conditions including latency, packet loss and jitter.
Games Experience quantifies the experience when playing real-time multiplayer mobile games on mobile devices connected to servers located around the world. The approach is built on several years of research quantifying the relationship between technical network parameters and the gaming experience as reported by real mobile users. These parameters include latency (round trip time), jitter (variability of latency) and packet loss (the proportion of data packets that never reach their destination). Additionally, it considers multiple genres of multiplayer mobile games to measure the average sensitivity to network conditions. The games tested include some of the most popular real-time multiplayer mobile games (such as Fortnite, Pro Evolution Soccer and Arena of Valor) played around the world.
Calculating Games Experience starts with measuring the end-to-end experience from users’ devices to internet end-points that host real games. The score is then measured on a scale from 0 to 100.
In addition to Games Experience, we report on the following metrics related to games experience:
DITO triumphs for Voice App Experience with a score of 78.9 points on a 100-point scale. Regardless of their choice of a mobile operator, our Filipino users experience Acceptable (74-80) voice app services. Some users are satisfied but others experience perceptible call quality impairmentss. Listeners are generally able to comprehend without repetition.
Opensignal's Voice App Experience measures the quality of experience for over-the-top (OTT) voice services — mobile voice apps such as WhatsApp, Skype and Facebook Messenger — using a model derived from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach for quantifying overall voice call quality and a series of calibrated technical parameters. This model characterizes the exact relationship between the technical measurements and perceived call quality. Voice App Experience for each operator is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100.
In addition to Voice App Experience, we report on the following metrics related to voice app experience:
Doing so with a score of 34.6Mbps, DITO is the outright winner for Download Speed Experience for the second time in a row.
DITO extends its lead over Smart compared to the previous report, leading by 6Mbps.
Measured in Mbps, Download Speed Experience represents the typical everyday speeds a user experiences across an operator’s mobile data networks.
In addition to Download Speed Experience, we report on the following metrics related to download speeds:
DITO wins the Upload Speed Experience award with a score of 6.8Mbps. Smart places second with a score of 5.0Mbps, while Globe is in last place with a score of 4.9Mbps.
Upload Speed Experience measures the average upload speeds for each operator observed by our users across their mobile data networks. Typically upload speeds are slower than download speeds, as current mobile broadband technologies focus resources on providing the best possible download speed for users consuming content on their devices. As mobile internet trends move away from downloading content to creating content and supporting real-time communications services, upload speeds are becoming more vital and new technologies are emerging that boost upstream capacity.
In addition to Upload Speed Experience, we report on five supporting metrics related to upload speeds:
DITO wins the 5G Video Experience award outright, breaking a statistical tie with Globe in the previous report. DITO wins with a score of 73 points on a 100-point scale. Globe and Smart are statistically tied for second place with scores 70.4-70.7 points.
All three operators place in the Very Good (68-78) category. This means that our users are, on average, able to stream video at 1080p or better with satisfactory loading times and little stalling when connected to 5G.
5G Video Experience scores account for adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR), a technology that allows Opensignal to accurately represent users' real video experience including video streams up to 4K quality.
5G Video Experience quantifies the quality of mobile video experienced by Opensignal users on real-world video streams when they were connected to 5G. The metric is based on an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach, built upon detailed studies which have derived a relationship between technical parameters, including picture quality, video loading time and stall rate, with the perceived video experience as reported by real people. To calculate 5G Video Experience, we are directly measuring video streams from end-user devices and using this ITU approach to quantify the video experience observed by our users on each operator’s 5G network on a scale from 0 to 100. The videos tested include a mixture of resolutions — including Full HD (FHD) and 4K / Ultra HD (UHD) — and are streamed directly from the world’s largest video content providers.
DITO and Globe are joint winners for 5G Games Experience for the second report in a row as the two operators’ scores are statistically tied. Smart narrowly misses out on the winners’ podium with a score of 75.5 on a 100-point scale, a five-point improvement since the last report.
All three operators place in the Good (75-85) category. A Good (75-85) rating means that most users deem the experience acceptable. The gameplay experience is generally controllable and the user receives immediate feedback between their actions and the outcomes in the game. Most users do not experience a delay between their actions and the game.
5G Games Experience measures how mobile users experience real-time multiplayer mobile gaming on an operator's 5G network. It analyzes how our users’ multiplayer mobile gaming experience was affected by mobile network conditions including latency, packet loss and jitter. 5G Games Experience for each operator is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100.
5G Games Experience quantifies the experience when playing real-time multiplayer mobile games on mobile devices connected to servers located around the world. The approach is built on several years of research quantifying the relationship between technical network parameters and the gaming experience as reported by real mobile users. These parameters include latency (round trip time), jitter (variability of latency) and packet loss (the proportion of data packets that never reach their destination). Additionally, it considers multiple genres of multiplayer mobile games to measure the average sensitivity to network conditions. The games tested include some of the most popular real-time multiplayer mobile games (such as Fortnite, Pro Evolution Soccer and Arena of Valor) played around the world. Calculating 5G Games Experience starts with measuring the end-to-end experience from users’ devices to internet end-points that host real games.
DITO is the outright winner of the 5G Voice App Experience award with a score of 82.1 points on a 100-point scale. All operators place in the Good (80-87) category — many users are satisfied but some experience minor quality impairments.
5G Voice App Experience quantifies the experience of Opensignal users when using over-the-top voice apps — such as WhatsApp, Skype and Facebook Messenger — on an operator’s 5G network. It uses a model derived from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach for quantifying overall voice call quality and a series of calibrated technical parameters. This model characterizes the exact relationship between the technical measurements and perceived call quality. 5G Voice App Experience for each operator is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100.
DITO is the winner for 5G Download Speed for the second time in a row. Our DITO users see an average 5G download speed of 287.2Mbps — around 140Mbps (95%) faster than second-placed Smart.
5G Download Speed shows the average download speed experienced by Opensignal users across an operator’s 5G network. 5G Download Speed for each operator is calculated in Mbps (Megabits per second).
DITO is the outright winner of the 5G Upload Speed award for the second report running. The average 5G upload speeds observed by our DITO users are around 16% faster than those seen by Smart users.
5G Upload Speed measures the average upload speeds experienced by Opensignal users across an operator’s 5G network. 5G Upload Speed for each operator is calculated in Mbps (Megabits per second).
Globe wins the Coverage Experience award for the third consecutive report. It does so narrowly, winning with 7.3 points to Smart’s 7.2 points on a 10-point scale. DITO places third with a score less than half of its more established competitors.
All three operators’ Coverage Experience scores have increased since the last report. Globe’s outright win means this operator has the widest and largest geographic footprint of coverage in populated areas out of all mobile operators in the Philippines.
The Opensignal Coverage Experience metric measures the extent of mobile networks in the places people live, work and travel. The metric represents the experience users receive as they travel around areas where they would reasonably expect to find coverage.
Traditional coverage metrics typically estimate either a percentage of land area covered, or a percentage of population covered; often neither will be an accurate measurement of the true user expectation and experience. In many markets there are areas where neither population density nor geographic area reflect the importance of coverage to users. For example, in a large mountain range most users will not expect coverage in the wilderness, but poor coverage in the relatively small area of a ski resort is critical for the enjoyment of a holiday. Estimates based purely on population give undue significance to coverage in the most densely populated areas.
Coverage Experience measures geographic coverage of populated areas and therefore more accurately reflects the coverage expectations and experience of typical users. It can give a result that is somewhat different to traditional estimates based on either geographic or population measures. The metric uses a scale from 0 to 10.
Smart continues to win the 5G Coverage Experience award, doing so this time with a score of 1.5 on a 10-point scale. Globe comes in second with a score of 0.7 points, while DITO places third with a score of 0.3 points. All three operators’ scores indicate that 5G rollout in the Philippines is still at a fairly early stage.
The Opensignal Coverage Experience metric measures the extent of mobile networks in the places people live, work and travel. The metric represents the experience users receive as they travel around areas where they would reasonably expect to find coverage.
Traditional coverage metrics typically estimate either a percentage of land area covered, or a percentage of population covered; often neither will be an accurate measurement of the true user expectation and experience. In many markets there are areas where neither population density nor geographic area reflect the importance of coverage to users. For example, in a large mountain range most users will not expect coverage in the wilderness, but poor coverage in the relatively small area of a ski resort is critical for the enjoyment of a holiday. Estimates based purely on population give undue significance to coverage in the most densely populated areas.
Coverage Experience measures geographic coverage of populated areas and therefore more accurately reflects the coverage expectations and experience of typical users. It can give a result that is somewhat different to traditional estimates based on either geographic or population measures. The metric uses a scale from 0 to 10.
5G Coverage Experience shows the proportion of places Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription had an active 5G connection.
DITO continues its run as the only Filipino operator to win the Availability award. It wins this time with a score of 98.8%. Smart and Globe trail with scores of 97.1% and 94%, respectively. These scores represent the proportion of time Opensignal users spend with a 5G, 4G or 3G mobile signal.
Our availability metrics are not a measure of a network’s geographical extent. They won’t tell you whether you are likely to get a signal if you plan to visit a remote rural or nearly uninhabited region. Instead, they measure what proportion of time people have a network connection, in the places they most commonly frequent — something often missed by traditional coverage metrics. Looking at when users have a connection rather than where, provides us with a more precise reflection of the true user experience.
We also keep track of the instances that leave mobile users most frustrated: when there is no signal to connect to at all. The most common dead zones users struggle with occur indoors. As most of our availability data is collected indoors (as that’s where users spend most of their time), we’re particularly astute at detecting areas of zero signal.
Our availability metrics take a user-centric, time-based approach that complements the user-centric and geographical-based methodology used by our reach metrics.
Availability shows the proportion of time all Opensignal users on an operator’s network had either a 3G, 4G or 5G connection.
DITO wins the 5G Availability award for the second report in a row. The operator wins with a score of 27.9%, the average proportion of time that our DITO 5G users have an active 5G connection. Globe and Smart statistically tie for second place with scores less than half that of DITO.
Our availability metrics are not a measure of a network’s geographical extent. They won’t tell you whether you are likely to get a signal if you plan to visit a remote rural or nearly uninhabited region. Instead, they measure what proportion of time people have a network connection, in the places they most commonly frequent — something often missed by traditional coverage metrics. Looking at when users have a connection rather than where, provides us with a more precise reflection of the true user experience.
We also keep track of the instances that leave mobile users most frustrated: when there is no signal to connect to at all. The most common dead zones users struggle with occur indoors. As most of our availability data is collected indoors (as that’s where users spend most of their time), we’re particularly astute at detecting areas of zero signal.
Our availability metrics take a user-centric, time-based approach that complements the user-centric and geographical-based methodology used by our reach metrics.
5G Availability shows the proportion of time Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription had an active 5G connection.
DITO is the outright winner of the Consistent Quality award for the third consecutive report, doing so with a margin of eight percentage points over Smart and 13 percentage points over Globe. DITO’s and Smart’s scores have increased compared to the previous report, while Globe’s has decreased slightly.
This metric measures if the network is sufficient to support common mobile application requirements at a level that is ‘good enough’ for users to maintain (or complete) various typical demanding tasks on their devices. It assesses a number of experience indicators such as download speed, upload speed, latency, jitter, packet loss, and time to first byte.
Consistent Quality measures if the network is sufficient to support common mobile application requirements at a level that is ‘good enough’ for users to maintain (or complete) various typical tasks on their devices.
We combine different experience indicators such as download speed, upload speed, latency, jitter, packet discard, and time to first byte to calculate Consistent Quality. These components are evaluated against thresholds recommended by various more demanding common applications used for a range of common tasks.
To calculate the metric value, the proportion of tests that pass the requirements of Consistent Quality is multiplied by the test success ratio, which is the proportion of completed tests to all tests conducted. Tests that pass indicate that activities such as video calling, uploading an image to social media, or using smart home applications will be possible without noticeable lag or slowdown.
DITO remains the only Filipino operator to win the Reliability Experience reward. DITO wins with a score of 825 points on a 100-1000 point scale, calculated across all generations of mobile technology. Smart comes in second with a score of 801 points, while Globe places third with a score of 732 points.
Opensignal’s Reliability Experience measures the ability of our users to connect to and successfully complete basic tasks on operators’ networks. It consists of the following components:
a) Signal Availability — the proportion of time Opensignal users can successfully receive mobile network signal,
b) Data Connectivity — the proportion of time when the network is available and the device can connect to the internet,
c) Task Completion — whether tasks initiated by the user’s device are completed,
d) Sufficiency — the probability that (basic) tasks will be executed sufficiently well for the user.
Opensignal’s Reliability Experience measures the ability of Opensignal users to connect to and successfully complete (basic) tasks on communication service providers’ (CSP) networks. It analyzes how much Opensignal users’ experience is affected by the radio access and core network, along with issues that prevent them from connecting to the internet even if they have a connection to their CSP’s network. It also factors in users’ ability to successfully use lower performance applications including SD video, over-the-top voice calls and web browsing.
Collecting billions of individual measurements daily from over 100 million devices globally, Opensignal independently analyzes mobile and broadband user experience on every major network operator around the globe.
Opensignal is the leading global provider of independent insights into consumers' connectivity experiences and choice of carrier. Our proprietary insights into mobile and broadband networks give operators the solutions they need to profitably compete and win, from executive level scorecards and public validation to pin-point level engineering analytics and consumer decision dynamics.
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For every metric we calculate statistical confidence intervals indicated on our graphs. When confidence intervals overlap, our measured results are too close to declare a winner. In those cases, we show a statistical draw. For this reason, some metrics have multiple operator winners.
In our bar graphs we represent confidence intervals as boundaries on either sides of graph bars.
In our supporting-metric charts we show confidence intervals as +/- numerical values.
Why confidence intervals are vital in analyzing mobile network experience