Globe Telecom is currently expanding its network coverage and capacity in Cebu province across all technologies, including 3G & LTE, as part of its commitment to continue building on its network infrastructure for a wider reach and faster internet experience of Filipinos nationwide.
The company’s capacity enhancement initiative involves deployment of the dual-beam antenna solutions, ideal in densely populated areas such as Cebu, to deliver enhanced capacity and coverage, significantly improving user experience. The solution, which will increase existing capacity by as much as 70%, will be deployed in a significant number of sites within the province, said Manny Estrada, Globe Senior Vice President for Network Technologies Strategy.
According to Estrada, Globe plans to enhance customer experience in the province by expanding its 3G and LTE coverage and capacity. In addition to these upgrades, Globe also intends to build new sites within the province as part of its continuing coverage and capacity expansion.
However, the realization of the company’s plan to build more cell sites depends heavily on the permitting environment in each local government unit concerned, he emphasized. He noted that similar to other areas in the country, the permitting environment is the biggest detriment preventing telecommunication operators like Globe in improving cell site density, a necessary prerequisite in improving data connectivity of its customers in terms of speed and access.
“Cebu is one of the more problematic areas for Globe in terms of building cell sites. Globe endeavors to build a digital nation, but we cannot achieve our goal, of providing faster data service while enhancing accessibility, in an environment that hinders rather than enable telcos like Globe to build the necessary infrastructure as quickly and as cost efficiently as possible,” Estrada said. He said that telcos need to secure an average of 25 permits at the local government level to build a single cell site and this process takes at least 8 months to complete even before the necessary infrastructure can be built.
Last month, Globe revealed its plan of embarking on a massive infrastructure build aimed at enhancing network coverage for a wider reach and faster data experience of Filipinos nationwide. The initiative is aimed at creating a nationwide data network that will drive economic competitiveness and growth. Globe is able to aggressively upgrade capacities following the successful completion of its network modernization program initiated in 2011.
The company aims to create an internet super highway by deploying fiber optics in 20,000 barangays all over the country by 2020 to provide ultra-fast internet access to around 2 million homes nationwide. Globe will also pour significant investment in capacity enhancement for both mobile and wireline using different technologies that include 3G, LTE and even Wi-Fi. At the same time, Globe is heeding the call to address the ICT requirements of enterprises as they expand their respective operations to Visayas, Mindanao and the Calabarzon regions.
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