Globe invests P21B in Capex for continued network upgrades, infrastructure development

May 6, 2022 by No Comments

GLOBE has invested a total of P21.0 billion in capital expenditure (Capex) in the first three months of 2022, beating the same period last year by 10 percent.The Company’s growing investment in the network proves its strong commitment to deliver #1stWorldNetwork connectivity to Filipinos to address public clamor for better and faster internet connectivity.The said capex investment represented 54 percent of gross service revenues and 107 percent of Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (Ebitda).About 82 percent of the capex went to data-related requirements to handle the surge in demand for digital services and to provide a higher level of digital experiences for its customers nationwide.Globe’s aggressive network investments attest to its strong support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG 9 highlighting the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. More importantly, Globe continues to champion the United Nations Global Compact principles.As a result of these investments, Globe built 234 new cell sites nationwide, upgraded over 3.5 thousand mobile sites, and installed 380 new 5G sites as of end-March of 2022.While on the fixed line front, Globe installed over 470 thousand FTTH lines. Globe’s sustained fiber rollout empowers more customers to maximize the strength of digital technology in remote learning, digital entertainment, and livelihood and productivity at home.As of the end-March of 2022, Globe has 91 tower company (towerco) sites on air since the start of the year as it continues to expand coverage to provide the best service to its customers. The 91 towerco sites have started carrying Globe traffic, nearly 57 percent more than the 58 sites completed in the same period in 2021.These new towers are powering 16 provinces across the country: La Union and Pangasinan in Northern Luzon; Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Tarlac in Central Luzon; Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon in Southern Luzon; Occidental Mindoro in Mimaropa; and Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur and South Cotabato in Mindanao.Hence, Globe continues to reap the benefits from its aggressive network expansion and upgrades across the country, as proven by the recognitions received by Globe from the global analytics firm Ookla and the independent global standard Opensignal. Ookla® verified Globe as the most consistent Philippine mobile operator in the first quarter of 2022.According to the recent report of Ookla1, Globe had a nationwide mobile consistency score of 79.45 from January to March 2022 compared to 70.43 in the same period last year. The upward trend continues as Globe’s current score is even higher than the 79.02 registered during the fourth quarter of 2021. Calabarzon topped the list of areas with an improved consistency score for the first quarter with 81.26, followed by Central Visayas with 73.95. Bicol recorded a score of 73.022.Moreover, Opensignal recognized Globe for delivering the most consistent mobile quality in the Philippines.Globe bested its peers in the Excellent and Core Consistent Quality categories of Opensignal’s Mobile Experience Awards3. Globe bagged the Excellent Consistent Quality award with 51.6% or 7.8 percentage points higher than the nearest competitor, according to Opensignal’s April 2022 Mobile Network Experience Report for the Philippines.The report is based on data collected from Jan. 1 to March 31 this year. Likewise, Globe topped the Core Consistent Quality category with 74.6 percent, beating the nearest competitor by 12.8 percentage points. Core Consistent Quality uses thresholds for less demanding applications.Globe was also recognized as a Global Rising Star for the third consecutive year in its 2022 Global Mobile Network Experience Awards* report. It excelled in five categories receiving awards for the greatest improvement in 4G Availability, Video Experience, Voice App Experience, Download Speed Experience, and Upload Speed Experience4.As of end-March 2022, Globe logged over 2.0 million devices in its 5G network, which now reaches 96 percent of NCR and 85 percent of key cities in Visayas and Mindanao in terms of 5G outdoor coverage.Globe’s 5G speed is now three times faster than mobile WiFi, according to Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® data for the first quarter of this year. Globe logged a 5G median download speed of 121.29 Mbps versus the 42.95 Mbps booked by all fixed providers in the Philippines from January to March.Ookla used the statistical validation approach called Hsu’s Multiple Comparisons with the Best (MCB) procedure to identify how fast Globe’s 5G median download speeds are in comparison with mobile WiFi speeds.In addition, the Company emerged as the winner of Opensignal’s 5G Video Experience Award with 71.2 points giving its users the best experience when streaming video over 5G networks.Globe likewise anticipates higher 5G device penetration among its customers this year with the continuous expansion of 5G coverage in the country and the release of more affordable handsets. Globe has made several entry-level and mid-range 5G models available for free if subscribed to a postpaid plan or at a price that is easy on the budget if bought separately.Also, the Company continues to partner with more 5G-ready telcos around the world to allow customers to enjoy a convenient high-speed data roaming experience. (PR)