Globe to intensify LTE deployment amid faster mobile Internet speed

Globe Telecom has further increased its mobile Internet speed as it ramps up its deployment of long-term evolution (LTE) services across the country. (Photo: Globe Telecom/Facebook)

MANILA—Globe Telecom has further increased its mobile Internet speed as it ramps up its deployment of long-term evolution (LTE) services across the country.

Globe has registered the highest in terms of LTE availability with speeds of 7.42 Mbps compared to the 4 Mbps in February 2016, based on the latest report from OpenSignal, a United Kingdom-based company specializing in crowdsourced mobile coverage mapping.

The telco firm has also recorded the highest score of 55.3 percent in the latest OpenSignal LTE availability in the country. According to OpenSignal, the score means that their testers were able to find Globe LTE signal 55.3 percent of the time nationwide, based on data gathered from Nov. 1, 2016 to last January 31.

In a statement, Joel Agustin, Globe Senior Vice President for Program Governance, Network Technical Group, disclosed that more than 1,200 LTE 700 sites using the 700 megahertz (MHz) frequency band and some 2,500 sites for both the 1,800 MHz and 2,600 MHz bands will be rolled out this year in addition to existing deployments last year.

About 70 percent of the company’s USD750 million capital expenditure for the year has been allocated for the improvement of mobile, home, broadband and corporate data.

“Our strategy to immediately use the dormant LTE spectrum from SMC is paying off. Now more Globe customers, especially here in NCR, are experiencing the difference of a better and more seamless mobile internet from one area to another,” said Agustin.

“We need to continue deploying more LTE sites to fulfill the evolving digital lifestyle of our customers using our mobile network.”

Last year, Globe deployed 1,700 LTE sites — 500 sites for the 700MHz band and 1,200 for the 2,600MHz band — attaining 38 percent of its commitment to deploy 4,500 sites using the spectrum under the co-use agreement approved by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) following the sellout of the telco assets of San Miguel Corp.

“Globe customers are now experiencing the benefit of a wider LTE coverage with the use of the 700MHz and 2,600MHz frequencies. Our plan is to roll out more LTE sites this year in line with our desire to make the nation admired through expanded coverage, enhanced capacities and improved overall Internet experience of our customers,” Agustin stated.