Globe powers Albay public schools with WiMAX

MANILA, Philippines - Globe Telecom highlighted the rollout of its WiMAX infrastructure in Albay by using the latest broadband technology to connect public secondary schools in the province to the Internet.

Legazpi City High School and Daraga National High School are the first beneficiaries of the Globe Internet-in-Schools Program (ISP) in Albay.

ISP is one of the programs of Globe under its flagship social responsibility arm, Globe Bridging Communities. Through ISP, Globe prepares young Filipinos to be globally competitive by introducing them to Internet literacy skills and opening doors to a wide range of information available online.

Working closely with Department of Education (DepEd) Region V regional ICT coordinator Leticia Bustamante, both schools were chosen due to their strong science and math curricula.

The two schools are among 57 secondary schools in the region offering the DepEd Engineering and Science Education Program (ESEP), and are in areas served by Globe.

At least 23 more public schools in the province are expected to be connected via WiMAX or other Globe broadband services within the next two months.

To date, Globe ISP has already provided Internet connection to 2,012 public elementary and high schools nationwide.

The Globe WIMAX network is the first and largest mobile WIMAX network in Southeast Asia, with over 100,000 subscribers nationwide, covering nearly 60 provinces.

In Albay alone, the company has 12 WiMAX sites covering Legazpi City and 21 more are spread across six neighboring towns. 

Globe also has 27 3G sites in Albay and recently entered into separate interconnection agreements with Bayan Telecommunications Inc. and Digital Telecommunications Co. Inc. that will allow landline users of Globe to call BayanTel and Digitel toll-free and vice versa.

WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a next-generation fixed wireless broadband technology that Globe launched 16 months ago to provide Filipino consumers with an affordable and reliable high-speed Internet service in areas not covered by traditional wired Internet solutions.

Through WiMAX’s larger coverage and higher bandwidth performance, Internet connectivity has now become available even in rural areas.