GLOBE Telecom Inc. is expanding its mobile-data infrastructure to further strengthen its network’s resiliency and reliability.
The expansion involves activation of more than 4,300 cell sites with the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technologies and is part of the company’s continuing adoption of more advanced technologies to future-proof its network.
“Upgrading our network capacity and expanding our LTE TDD/FDD network would make our network more robust and resilient to serve growing data requirement of our customers and enhance their digital lifestyle,” Globe President and CEO Ernest L. Cu said, noting burgeoning demand for data-capable devices.
The LTE-TDD and LTE-FDD technologies offer higher bandwidth, which enhances speed of data transfer, provides lower latency and increases overall network capacity.
“The two-pronged network expansion ensures reliable and fast mobile Internet service, allowing customers to experience seamless video streaming and post on their social-media accounts anytime and anywhere,” Cu said.
The growing pervasiveness of its LTE coverage will enhance and strengthen Globe Telecom’s mobile-data service in major metropolitan areas, such as Manila, Cebu, Davao and other key cities and tourist destinations in the country, enabling customers to explore and share online at faster Internet speeds.
The company, Cu said, will continue to upgrade its network infrastructure to sufficiently accommodate the growing popularity of smartphones among Globe customers.
Globe recently completed its $700-million network modernization initiative, putting in a brand-new access, transport and core network nationwide.
As part of the initiative, the company also completed a nationwide rollout of 4G network, using the HSPA+ technology. In addition to adequately serving its customers high data usage and enhancing their digital lifestyle, the company’s HSPA+ network also enables the company to provide the required and performance for the rapidly growing data consumption of business enterprises, Cu said.
Globe also demonstrated proof-of-concept trials on LTE-CA and LTE eMBMS, which are latest LTE technologies as part of effort to stay ahead of its customers’ growing data requirement. The LTE CA technology dramatically increases efficient utilization of frequencies and thus would enable Globe to aggregate spectrum for higher bandwidth capacity and improved customer experience. The LTE eMBMS technology will pave the way for efficient delivery of video and multimedia services using the company’s LTE network.
Globe officials said on Tuesday the company has forged a partnership with Japanese telecommunications firm Brastel Co. Ltd. to offer a co-branded reloadable card aimed at capturing a significant portion of the 250,000-strong overseas Filipino market in Japan.
The partnership allows Brastel to offer calling rates to Globe users in the Philippines as low as half the cost versus other carriers in the Japanese market.
“We have forged ties with a respected company such as Brastel in order to provide Filipinos abroad with more affordable means to communicate with their loved ones back home,” Globe EVP for International and Business Markets Gil B. Genio said on Tuesday.
Brastel CEO Wilson Kendi Kawai said the partnership would further expand his company’s reach in Japan and the Philippines.
“Through our partnership with Globe, we are delighted to enable stronger connections between overseas Filipinos in Japan and their family and friends back home,” Kawai said.
Globe Senior Vice President for International Business Rizza M. Eala said Japan is an important market for Globe, given that it is host to quarter of a million Filipinos.
“The partnership with Brastel gives us an opportunity to offer good quality calls, superior rates and a widely-accessible reloadable card product available in over 44,000 outlet across the said country,” she said.
Brastel General Manager for Carrier Operations and Support Jorge Tatsuki Takata said overseas workers spend roughly ¥2,000 or P800 per month on telecommunications needs.
“There is still a significant opportunity for us to sweep the market for Filipinos that are using the rechargeable cards,” Eala said.
The Globe-Brastel card is available for free at Filipino stores in Japan. Reloading the card is easy via the widely accepted Smart Pit payment gateway at partner convenience stores such as Family Mart, Mini Stop, Circle K and Lawson.