Why network overall consistency and reliability should define quality internet

Editor’s note: This content is sponsored by Globe Telecom and was produced by BrandRap, the sales and marketing arm of Rappler. No member of the news and editorial team participated in the production of this piece.

Ever since the internet became ubiquitous, and even way before the term “chronically online” was conceived, people’s go-to questions upon stepping inside somewhere new have been: 1. “Does this place have Wi-Fi?” immediately followed by “Is it fast?”

The second question in particular implies a point of comparison and usually stems from pride. There’s a strange satisfaction in tapping your speed test app and seeing the numbers go up, especially when you’re downloading multiple large files at once, reaching platinum status in your favorite competitive game, or streaming your comfort TV series, along with the rest of your household using different devices.

Besides, “peak speeds” do not guarantee aspects like affordability, stable latency, and the absence of hardware bottlenecks – things you can find in a reliable and consistent network infrastructure. 

So, should the litmus test of quality internet end with this?

Expert-approved service

Take it from Ookla, the company behind the widely used speed test you know. Based in the US and recognized as a global leader in internet testing and network intelligence, Ookla recognizes annually the different facets of a well-performing network provider, mainly through their stringent frameworks and accolades. Taking home the titles of Most Consistent Mobile Network and Most Consistent Fixed Network, plus being recognized as the provider with the widest 5G coverage in the Philippines for the second half of 2025 was Globe.

This feat also showed the Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) metrics which are two pillars the telecommunications company has been trying to strengthen. What do these mean?

Integrated into Filipinos’ daily activities

After Ookla’s in-depth analysis of users’ Speedtest results, they discovered the facets that make up Globe’s reliable infrastructure. First, it achieved the Mobile Consistency Score of 87.51% for the third to fourth quarters of 2025. Ookla defines this score as a “stronger predictor of everyday app performance than peak speed alone, because it shows how often users actually receive ‘good-enough’ speeds for streaming, browsing, and video calls.” Instead of treating peak tests as the be-all end-all benchmark, the network operates on “smooth video starts, fast-loading apps, clear calls, and first-try transactions” as some of the yardsticks for quality internet.

With Filipino internet dwellers spending an average of five hours and 21 minutes on mobile daily (or 60.4% of the country’s internet use), this achievement means fulfilling a coveted need.

In the case of broadband experience, Globe hit an 88.84% for consistency, making it an ideal partner for home and business internet. If you backtrack a bit, this comes as no surprise: Back in the third quarter of 2023, Globe was recognized as the most consistent fixed broadband network in 35 areas in the country. Moreover, Globe’s widest 5G coverage feat stems from its coverage score of 490, giving a clearer picture of its commitment to QoS, whether it’s in remote towns or places that lack basic infrastructure. 

Globe’s consistency lies in its ability to meet strict minimum speed thresholds across diverse locations, so that connectivity is accessible for meaningful experiences.

“Addressing these gaps requires continued investment not just in coverage, but in capacity, redundancy, and resilience to keep services stable under varying conditions. It’s part of our drive to provide the best and most consistent connectivity because our purpose is to uplift Filipino lives every day, and this includes serving the underserved,” said Globe president and CEO Carl Cruz, during the Philippine Telco Summit. 

In the same event, Department of Information and Communications Technology secretary Henry Aguda said, “These developments show that speed is no longer the country’s main bottleneck. What we need now is consistency of connection and more cell sites and expanded network infrastructure.”

In August 2025, Globe also shared that not only are they working towards broader reach, but also “deeper impact, because for many of these communities, a stable mobile signal can open the door to education, livelihood, and business development.”

Globe has been working to be a dependable network, whether customers are dealing with high-traffic zones or other forms of disruptions.

Boosting Filipinos’ lives online

When it comes to achieving the Quality of Experience metric, Globe is focused on providing more than what is expected, ensuring a premium digital experience for Filipinos. The network’s consistent performance offers stability for demanding online activities, evidenced by its capacity to easily support bandwidth-intensive tasks: for example, while 1080p video streaming typically requires only 4 to 5 Mbps on mobile or 5 Mbps on broadband, Globe’s network provides ample headroom for stability.

This level of performance ensures that professionals and remote workers enjoy seamless video calls on platforms like Zoom (which requires 3 Mbps) without interruption, and families can support 1080p FHD streaming and smart-home devices across multiple screens simultaneously.

“What matters is how consistently our customers stay connected in their daily lives, even if they are at work, at home, and on the move. Our focus remains on building a network that is resilient and designed around real experiences,” said Cruz.

This circles back to the internet’s core purpose, even before it became completely ubiquitous: an accessible device meant to boost what we do in our actual day-to-day lives, rather than being an instrument of overwhelming fixation just because we can’t handle its unpredictability and fluctuations. 

A good network provider prioritizes holistic experience and thrives on reliability, something that can trump your worries as a digital native, whether you’re trying to catch your online class in a nearby cafe, running a business that heavily relies on online bank transfers, creating premium content for your weekly vlogs, or generally just making your next step, big or small, on the interwebs. – Rappler.com