Globe Telecom Inc. on Monday said it plans to upgrade its existing stations in certain cities in Visayas and Mindanao to 4G sites, as it promotes the use of the technology as the standard for mobile Internet in the Philippines.
Joel Agustin, the company’s SVP for program development, said Globe is replacing its old 3G radio equipment with 5G-ready 4G infrastructure in the cities of Bacolod, Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro.
This initiative, he said, will result in “better connectivity to customers because of faster and more advanced technologies.”
“Boosted by the positive feedback we received from customers who noted significant improvements in their call, SMS and data services after the site upgrades, we are upgrading more areas with the newest available technology that will respond to their needs better. We want our customers to make the most of the opportunities that are now available to them through better connectivity,” he said.
So far, Globe has upgraded its network into 5G-ready 4G infrastructure in 199 cities and towns in Metro Manila, Rizal, Quezon, Albay, Oriental Mindoro, Bataan, Leyte, Agusan del Sur, and Pampanga, among others.
Agustin said his group is fast-tracking its shift to 4G this year, as 3G technology is quickly becoming obsolete in the global scene.
This initiative is part of Globe’s three-pronged strategy for network upgrades, which includes aggressive cell site builds; upgrading its cell sites to 4G using many different frequencies; and the fiber migration of Filipino homes nationwide.
Globe has committed to provide “first world Internet” in the Philippines this year.
The telco said in December that it has set its sights on further expanding its services to other underserved areas in Visayas and Midanao.
Globe has undertaken various network modernization activities in Cebu City, Davao City, Cagayan de Oro City, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Bacolod City, Iloilo City, and Boracay in Aklan.
It has secured a P5-billion loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines to help bankroll the company’s general financing and corporate requirements for capital expenditures, a disclosure to the stock exchange showed.
Globe saw its bottomline dropping by a tenth in January to September 2020, as the pandemic forced consumers and enterprise customers to cut their telco expenses, slightly trimming the company’s revenues.
The telco’s net income stood at P15.89 billion during the period, a 10-percent decline from P17.68 billion the year prior. The 3-percent reduction on its operating costs and sales expenses was not enough to offset the 3-percent decline in operating revenues to P119.59 billion from P123.42 billion as well as the 6-percent increase in depreciation charges to P26.58 billion.
1 comment
I am sorrym doesn’t this read like a corporate press release? If it were news, wouldn’t it read something like: “Globe still far from phasing in latest 5G telecoms, instead presses ahead with old-technology 4G upgrade”?