Globe ramps up cell site upgrade

MANILA, Philippines — Globe Telecom Inc. has exceeded its target of expanding further its network capability and capacity in the first nine months following efforts by the government to fast-track the issuance of permits and cut red tape.

As of September, Globe said it had surpassed its performance of cell site upgrades with 7,780, or a 26.4 percent increase compared to the number of cell sites upgraded last year.

The cell sites are now 4G LTE ready to give customers faster connectivity and better mobile experience, Globe said.

Globe has also installed 593 new towers since January, which is more than what the company built during the same period in 2019.

The telco said it was able to pick up the pace of the builds much faster than 2019 despite the pandemic.

“We are committed to fulfilling our network upgrades and expansion program to improve the connectivity in the country and bring better data experience to our customers. We have regarded the various community lockdowns, not as concerns but challenges to deliver more and make the best of the opportunities given to us,” Joel Agustin, Globe senior vice president for program delivery, network technical group, said.

Agustin said the company was able to fast-track network expansion due to the joint memorandum circular signed in July by the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Interior and Local Government, Anti-Red Tape Authority, and other government agencies, as well as passage of Bayanihan to Recover as One Act 2.

Site installations and site upgrades are ongoing in other parts of the country, including in areas where the company is targeting to increase its presence, according to Globe.

This fourth quarter, Globe targets to install at least 800 cell sites this quarter as part of its efforts to improve connectivity in the country.

It is set to build at least 319 cell sites in Metro Manila,  at least 100 sites are in the pipeline in North Luzon and at least 64 towers and small cell sites are being planned in South Luzon.

In the Visayas, a total of 190 installations will be built by Globe this quarter.

The Ayala-led telco will also put up 166 cell sites in Mindanao across 23 provinces and one city.