Globe Telecom recently sealed a deal with the provincial government of Ilocos Norte to provide free wireless internet access in the province.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Ayala-led telco said it increased the presence of its GoWiFi
services following its agreement with the Ilocos Norte local government.
President and Chief Executive Officer Ernest Cu said providing free internet access could bolster Ilocos Norte’s economic activities.
“We are hoping that this connectivity can stimulate the development of the province as one of the economic powerhouses in the entire Northern Luzon — from powering small and medium local businesses with more efficient digital solutions to offering 24/7 quality medical services by telehealth provider KonsultaMD to more citizens,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.
The listed firm has deployed GoWiFi services to the Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol, Laoag City Hall, Batac City Hall, San Nicolas IT Park and Aurora Park in Laoag.
With GoWiFi, users can browse social media, check emails, watch videos, and download files with speeds of up to 100 megabits per second. A secure access point is available for users regardless of network provider, and is compatible with any WiFi-enabled device.
Users are given free minutes daily of high-speed internet access where GoWiFi is available.
Globe booked solid financial results for 2019, where data demand continued to be its main driver.
Core net income last year increased by 20 percent to P22.5 billion versus the P18.7 billion a year earlier. Consolidated service revenues also witnessed 12 percent growth to P149 billion, where 71 percent came from data revenues.
For 2020, Globe is keeping its capital spending at P63 billion.