Ayala-led Globe Telecom announced yesterday (23 March) that it has completed the upgrade of its mobile network in Boracay to 4G LTE, with Senior VP for Program Delivery Joel Agustin confirming that the improvement forms part of the group’s efforts to increase its presence in Visayas and Mindanao. Further, he pointed out that, as part of a PHP70 billion (USD1.44 billion) CAPEX this year, the company is now ‘fast-tracking the completion of its network modernisation in Pampanga and in the three remaining towns of Laguna namely, Sta. Rosa, Calamba and Cabuyao before the month ends.’
Globe has embarked on a three-pronged strategy for its network rollout programme, which includes aggressive cell site builds, upgrading cell sites to 4G using a range of carrier frequencies, and racing to expand the fiberisation of Filipino homes nationwide.
In a related development, the company also revealed this week that people living in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu will receive a 5G network upgrade ‘soon’, in anticipation of which its head of regional sales Adonis Evangelista is suggesting users look to ensure their devices are 5G ready. ‘Our engineering team is in full force in laying the foundation for the ground launch soon of our 5G signal. And they are doing well. There are already pilot areas being installed with 5G in Cebu City,’ he is quoted by local press as saying. ‘Hopefully, within the coming months, we can do a ground launch. Once everything is in place and everything is tested well, we can already commercially launch it,’ he added.
According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, Globe now covers 82% of urban Metro Manila with its 5G network, encompassing 848 locations in Metro Manila and Rizal, as well as in 221 areas in Visayas and Mindanao.