How is Leyte Internet progressing for 2016 ?

[FastWalk]

Considering working from home in Philippines.  As I/we(Filipina wife and our kids) have a home already near Ormoc and thinking to use that location.  Just need to have a stable good speed internet for constant skype and file transfers. 

I know I can get internet in nearby Cubu.  But then would have to buy/rent a condo or house there.   Is it possible yet to get decent internet around Omoc Leyte ?  Currently my in-law use an older smart-bro connector.  For my work I would need something much better, similar to cable or

For those of you that have tried doing something like that (working from home,  from Philippines)  how did it go ?  I am guessing there are many topics related I haven't thought of yet.

[Big Jim]

I no longer have an interest in Leyte but I will give my opinion since no one else has replied.

I do not believe you will get the speed you are seeking.

Unless the business is an existing online business in your country,  you will have difficulty with an online business in the Philippines.

If you do decide to start an online business, buy the longest rated UPS box you can find.

One working from home business that worked for us was  making and selling ice to the local sari sari stores and one karaoke bar. in Palompon Leyte. The profit paid the electric bill. Or the rent, which was about the same. So it was one less bill to pay.

[Big Jim]

By the way, the electric in Palompon, and I presume Ormoc too,  was out from November 2013 to March 2014 following typhoon Yolanda. So a generator will be essential for continuation of an online business for the really long Black outs (brown outs)

[Hestecrefter]

For those of you that have tried doing something like that (working from home,  from Philippines)  how did it go ?  I am guessing there are many topics related I haven't thought of yet.

I managed it for a few years.  When in Tuguegarao (before cell phones came along) where we lived it was said to be about a year waiting period to get a landline.  Well, like everything in the Phils, money talks and I paid what it took to get a landline brought to the house and dialup internet.  It worked well enough to allow me to work with word files over the web.  I don't use a lot of bandwith. Not sure what you will need for whatever kind of work you do. I did the same in Quezon City.  Worked just fine.  In fact, the very expensive satellite internet I now have in Canada is about the same as Phils dialup years ago.

[FastWalk]

Thanks for the ideas.

I work in a large software business.  So my usage of internet will be constant but sometimes high capacity needed.  I would prefer to just retire,  but its not that difficult of work for a useful amount of income.  I can work from anyplace as long as have a good internet leash.  I know I can work in Cebu just fine and commute on the cat or waseem on the weekends.  We might just buy/rent in Cebu also.   I'll report back later this year with what I find out after I go and really check it out.  We also thought about Laguna,  but with the Ormoc airport never working it takes a lot longer to commute to Ormoc.   

I like the ice idea.  If nothing else,  everyone around us has some sort of sari sari.  As I am the one usually buying the ice... at least I could save on that.     

I know its expensive for the connections.   I guess about p20,000 in or around Manila/Cebu on fiber.   If I can find something half as good as those around Ormoc I'll be delighted.  As its just for me,  a leased line is overkill.   

Yes Yolanda was mean to us as well.  All family survived,  so not the worst.    Coconuts broken,  that is bad because no coconuts to sell.  For power backup I plan to have solar/battery array setup and also micro hydro.  Unfortunately the hydro is away from the city so that doesn't help as my guess is any good internet is in city.  Maybe some food storage is also good idea... ppl got tired of the government canned sardines after the big storm,  but those where  better than nothing.

[FastWalk]

I know its expensive for the connections.   I guess about p20,000 in or around Manila/Cebu on fiber.   If I can find something half as good as those around Ormoc I'll be delighted.  As its just for me,  a leased line is overkill.   

What I found this year while in Ormoc is that some of our business partners within the city use globe cable as a primary access and then pldt as a backup in case globe is down.   With such a setup they are able to conduct business ok.  According to globe office the connection speeds are very high,  and I could see business partners using it successfully although with a backup in case of outage. 

If having a Philippine registered business (of any type) can get business service that has more capacity(not speed) for same price.

Cost is not that much,  3 or 4k peso per month.  Just similar or slightly more then in US for us.

Reliable internet Outside the city proper using LTE,  no way. 

Also,  by December this year supposed to  be another high speed option from Australian company. 

Rumor was that new Mayor in Ormoc likes to make it an IT park city.

[suzukig1]

...by December this year supposed to  be another high speed option from Australian company...

http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/03/15/1562973/san-miguel-telstra-joint-venture-talks-terminated

San Miguel-Telstra joint venture talks terminated
By Louella Desiderio (The Philippine Star) | Updated March 15, 2016 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s most diversified conglomerate, San Miguel Corp., and Australia’s biggest telco company, Telstra Corp., have ended negotiations over a planned joint telecommunication venture in the Philippines, both parties announced...


http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/05/31/1588455/san-miguel-sells-telco-assets-p70-b

San Miguel sells telco assets for P70 B
By Louella Desiderio (The Philippine Star) | Updated May 31, 2016 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Rivals Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Globe Telecom Inc. have teamed up to acquire the telco assets of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) valued at P70 billion  in line with the aim to provide customers with better Internet services within three months at the earliest...

[Steve & Myrlita]

http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/03/15/1562973/san-miguel-telstra-joint-venture-talks-terminated

San Miguel-Telstra joint venture talks terminated
By Louella Desiderio (The Philippine Star) | Updated March 15, 2016 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s most diversified conglomerate, San Miguel Corp., and Australia’s biggest telco company, Telstra Corp., have ended negotiations over a planned joint telecommunication venture in the Philippines, both parties announced...


http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/05/31/1588455/san-miguel-sells-telco-assets-p70-b

San Miguel sells telco assets for P70 B
By Louella Desiderio (The Philippine Star) | Updated May 31, 2016 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Rivals Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Globe Telecom Inc. have teamed up to acquire the telco assets of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) valued at P70 billion  in line with the aim to provide customers with better Internet services within three months at the earliest...

Monopoly at work.

[copusmaximus]

big time monopoly why let a big ti,e player in and show the locals how to setup internet properly du30 shoulda reversed that sale soon as in office and re invite aussy company with some incentives . once that happens the other companys will need to shape up

[GustavoWoltmann]

For Telsta it is great. Im not really sure if other connection is great. But here in manila telstra is the best connection. Others are not.
__
Regards,
Gustavo Woltmann