Below is a speed we recently tested our download rate at, for our DSL connection through PLDT. Being not too far from the node, this is a very good thing. The further you are away, the slower, and less reliable your connection will be.. Generally though, our download rate can run as fast as 400k, or more, on an typical day. The bandwidth package we purchased allows up to 256k download. I can imagine it would run even faster, if we could afford the 384k package. However, even with the 384k package, the upload cap is 128k. So, this wouldn't be feasible for us to purchase anyway. (We upload almost as much as we download, from our computer.) The price of the 384k package is also Php 3,000 per month, instead of Php 2,500, which we presently pay. Additionally, if you do not get online much, but would like a faster rate over dialup services, PLDT also offers a Php 1,500 package. But you have a limit of 40 hours per month, for that price. Each minute in excess of the allotted 40 hours is Php 1. (Please check the PLDT DSL website, below, for current pricing and information.)

In my opinion, PLDT is a good company for DSL service, although I have heard that Globe is cheaper. At any time we have had problems (on two occasions only, and both were minor problems), PLDT has responded with the necessary assistance quickly and orderly. Their customer service, without question, is comparable to the customer service I received in the US, through my ISP. So, in my opinion, if you come here and use the PLDT DSL service here, you will be happy with it as well. If you are on a fast connection (or dialup as well) and would like to test your connection speed, go to the PLDT Play site. Then, click on the "Resources" link at the top of the page. Then, in the drop down menu, click on "Bandwidth Test". A window will pop up. Don't do anything else during the test, which may cause internet activity (up- or downloading). In a couple of minutes, or less, you will have the results of your test, showing your download rate.

The PLDT DSL website is www.pldtdsl.com. The site is pretty informative, offering information on their various packages, business as well as home/personal use. So, do check it out sometime. However, I can most definitely say that their "Check Your Line" service is not accurate, for whatever reason's. I have gone to their site, and entered our home number before (032-262-9412) to see if it would be "acceptable for service", but all I got in response was "Sorry, your phone number does not fall under the PLDT DSL service availability area". The DSL modem, service, computer, and most important ... the monthly bill, all show otherwise. I'm pretty sure they simply have not updated their service area, on the site.

When you get DSL installed, a technician will come to your home and install it, bringing with him a modem, a one meter phone line (modular plugs on each end), a splitter/filter (to filter out the DSL signal, and so you can connect your phone and the modem to the existing phone jack.), and a CAT 5 cable (category 5, for LAN setups) or a USB cable, to connect the modem. Definitely go with the Category 5 cable, if at all possible. This will mean that you have to buy a 10/100 Ethernet card (if your computer doesn't have one already), and have it installed in the computer ahead of time. A decent 10/100 card will run you about Php 650 locally. This is for a D-Link 10/100 card.

The one difference between PLDT's service, from say Comcast (in the US), was that Comcast did supply the 10/100 card, and installed it upon getting service from them. Of course, I also had to rent the modem from Comcast. Here, PLDT supplies the DSL modem to the subscriber, at no additional charge.

All in all, J.J. and I both are happy with our DSL service here. It has been excellent so far, with the exception of today, as it has been down most of today. (I guess I spoke too soon, huh?) Still, we see no reason to change, as long as the online service (speed and reliability), as well as the customer service remains intact.

NOTE: If you are running Windows 98se, ask the technician to copy the installer file (for the terminal program used to create the internet connection for DSL) to your computer's hard disk. One of the files on our computer ended up corrupted, so we had to call PLDT out to reinstall it. If I had the installer copied to our hard drive (when they originally installed DSL), I would have been able to reinstall the software myself, thus saving time for us, as well as for the technician.