Globe ramps up 4G deployment

MANILA, Philippines - Globe Telecom Inc. is planning to ramp up deployment of the 700 megahertz (MHz) frequency for 4G or long term evolution (LTE) in nearly 1,800 sites this year, from just 500 sites last year, to deliver improved internet experience to customers.

Globe president and chief executive officer Ernest Cu said yesterday the company plans to roll out this year the LTE 700 (MHz) in close to 1,800 sites, a more than three-fold increase from the 500 sites covered last year. 

“We continue to maximize the use of the previously unutilized 700 MHz because at the end of the day, our basic product is still the network. Globe has consistently delivered superior mobile services and as the country’s network of choice by smartphone users, we want to be able to stay ahead of the demand curve, taking into account our customers’ growing requirement for bandwidth-intensive content,” he said.

He said the plan also supports the goal of providing mobile coverage to about 95 percent of cities and municipalities in the country under a three-year plan submitted to the National Telecommunications Commission last year.

In addition to the LTE 700 sites, Globe will expand the coverage and increase capacities of 1,000 sites by using the 2600 MHz band.

Globe gained access to the 700 MHz and obtained additional allocation in the 2600 MHz after its purchase of half of the telecommunication assets of San Miguel Corp. last year.

The spectrum assets were previously assigned to, but not utilized by SMC.

Globe started utilizing the 700 MHz for LTE sites in June last year.

Cu said the new LTE 700 MHz and LTE 2600 MHz sites would be deployed mainly in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao or areas where most customers use LTE-compatible devices.

Globe will also deploy 425,000 high-speed broadband lines this year in line with the telco’s target to provide two million homes access to ultra-fast internet with speed of at least 10 Mbps by 2020.