Globe Telecom Doubles 5G Footprint
By Manny Pham, Developing Telecoms
January 5, 2023
Philippines operator Globe Telecom revealed it had more than doubled its 5G coverage nationally with 70 towns and cities seeing a connection at the end of 2022, compared to just 29 at the end of the year prior.
In a statement, Globe detailed its 5G network is available for almost all of the population in the National Capital Region, Davao City and Cebu.
It also covered 97% of the people in Bulacan, 95% in Cavite, 90% in Iloilo City and Zamboanga City, 88% in Tuguegarao City, 87% in Laguna, 84% in Pampanga and Cagayan De Oro City, 81% in Boracay, 80% in Bacolod City, 76% in Baguio City, and 39% in Butuan City.
Globe added the coverage expansion is in line with its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), especially SDG number 9 which highlights innovation and infrastructure as key drivers of economic growth.
The operator has also started testing standalone 5G technology, a technology that has been mooted as the next stage of 5G which will enhance business operations through IoT, VR and AR.
Globe injected over US$1.9 billion in CAPEX during 2022. It deployed 1.4 million fibre-to-the-homes (FTTH) lines, built 1,064 new cell sites, upgraded over 10,600 mobile sites to LTE, and installed 1,887 new 5G sites nationwide.
Alongside partners Eastern Communications and InfiniVAN, the operator said it is on track to complete the US$150 million Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network by April this year. The operator claimed this will be the Philippines' longest domestic subsea cable to improve mobile and broadband connectivity while also delivering fibre to underserved areas.
