Just to supplement Abe’s previous post on the state of Philippine ISP’s. I pulled out the ole’ 2005 Philippine Statistical Yearbook and found some interesting data regarding ISP’s.
Looking at this graph sure does bring back some memories. Like the internet boom of 1998, evidenced by the no of ISP’s skyrocketing from 23 to 64 in 2001. As with the tech salaries and opportunities abroad that were available to the IT specialists. Then of course we have the “Bust” years where reality set in; ISP no’s stabilized at 41 in 2003 and I remember the no. of jobstreet alerts coming into my inbox for tech related jobs drying up too.
But regardless of whether we were in a Boom or Bust Year, what is constant is the increasing no. of Filipino’s on the Web. As seen in the uptrend of the estimated subscriber base. I have to assume that this is because of cheaper access being provided by the telco’s as well as lower hardware prices. I remember in 2001, a pre-paid internet card would cost about Php 500.00 for 30 hours. The following year it would cost almost half that. Not to mention the price drop in broadbrand access that we are experiencing.
More Filipino’s in the Net means that the Philippine businesses should start seriously considering offering their services and making their presence felt in the Net.
Source: 2005 Philippine Statistical Yearbook from your Local NSCB