Globe has been consistently upgrading its network and accelerating infra builds as part of its efforts to provide better data experience and connectivity to its subscribers. Prior to the pandemic in 2019, Globe spent P51 billion in capex to increase its builds, putting up 139% more cell sites compared to 2018. As a result, 4G base stations of the company increased, putting up 28% more than 2018, doubling the deployment of massive MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) sites, thus considerably adding more data capacity.
For 2020, the company committed to spend Php 50.3 billion in capex, a large portion of which is allotted for its network upgrade initiatives. This year there is a lot of optimism to do more infrastructure builds with the implementation of the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 01 s. 2020 signed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Interior and Local Government, Anti-Red Tape Authority and other government agencies and the recent signing of the Bayanihan 2 We Recover As One Act, which aim to shorten the process of issuing permits to build. For the 2-month period from August to September, Globe was able to secure a total of 715 permits, this would enable builds in areas from Bangued in Northern Luzon to Butuan City in the Caraga Administrative Region in Northeastern Mindanao. Despite the pandemic, Globe’s critical skeletal workforce composed of engineers, installers, repairmen and other personnel has continued to work on network improvements and site builds to ensure unhampered connectivity for subscribers.
For 2021, Globe undertakes an even more aggressive network upgrade and expansion by focusing on 4G/LTE for a better data experience on mobile while accelerating fiber to home connectivity. All these are being done to provide an improved internet service to customers especially at this time when internet service is an essential need.
As proof that the improvements done over the last year and a half yielded results, Globe has been named by independent mobile analytics firm Opensignal as one of the most improved telcos in the world in terms of video experience, based on its user data comparison between the first half of 2019 and 2020. Globe’s improvement score of 32.7% average video experience of Opensignal users on 3G and 4G network signifies impressive gains against the worldwide average improvement at 14%. “We are happy that the changes are being recognized. While there are still gaps, the new network upgrades are designed to address these. We expect the improvements to continue moving into 2021 with bolder moves to provide 4G everywhere and connecting homes with high speed fiber,” said Gil B. Genio, Chief Technology and Information Officer of Globe.