According to Globe, the Philippines will witness a faster rollout of 5G technology, although the country still has a long way to go in terms of infrastructure.
Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu remarked that challenges in putting up cell sites had hampered the adoption of 5G. He was speaking at the Bloomberg Qatar Economic Forum’s 5G Growth Goals roundtable session.
“I believe we are so far behind that it will take some time to catch up. Given that the country has a limited amount of cell sites due to its history of making cell sites tough to come by,” he said.
On the other hand, Cu claims that the new legislation enacted during the pandemic has made it much easier to construct. Globe can offload 4G LTE into 5G by adding a new technology layer to the existing infrastructure and towers.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) recently issued Department Order No. 29 easing the moratorium on important infrastructure building, particularly cell sites along national highways. As telco firms in the country push up infrastructure projects, this is yet another critical win for the industry. Globe’s rapid network expansion and upgrade to 4G LTE and 5G has led to better service for its consumers across the country.
By utilizing more efficient technologies such as 5G, the telco plans to provide more broadband capacity to Filipinos at a reduced cost. Compared to the old 3G, 5G wireless internet access offers quicker speeds of up to 100 Mbps, larger bandwidth, and more dependable internet connections. Globe has been aggressively transitioning its consumers to 4G LTE or 5G technology, with nationwide SIM and equipment offers. The use of 5G will allow telcos to deliver on their promises of improved data experiences and faster internet speeds.
Globe was the first mobile operator in Southeast Asia to commercially introduce 5G AirFiber for Home usage in 2019, making it the Philippines’ 5G technological pioneer. According to its latest assessment, 5G outdoor coverage is currently accessible in at least 88 percent of the National Capital Region (NCR) and 82 percent or more of 13 cities in Metro Manila. 81 percent of Cebu City, 73 percent of Cagayan de Oro City, 73 percent of Davao City, 68 percent of Boracay Island, 68 percent of Bacolod City, and 53 percent of Iloilo City have access to 5G. Six other sites are being built in General Santos City and one in Zamboanga City.
The telecom has set aside a record P70 billion for capital expenditures this year. The majority of the funds (80 percent) are going toward data network upgrades to provide Filipinos with world-class internet connectivity.
Source: Globe Newsroom