Globe Deploys 500 LTE Sites on 700 MHz Band

Globe Telecom has deployed 500 LTE sites using the 700 megahertz band (L700) mostly in Metro Manila and other highly populated areas in a bid to further improve the mobile Internet service in the country.

It has also further activated 900 LTE sites utilizing its additional spectrum allocation in the 2600 megahertz band.

“With the deployment of 500 LTE 700 sites, Globe is now able to deliver a more comprehensive LTE coverage in Metro Manila, substantially improving the mobile internet experience of our customers in the region,” Joel Agustin, Globe Senior Vice President for Program Governance, Network Technical Group, said as he cited the proliferation of bandwidth-intensive multimedia content.

On the other hand, the deployment of 900 LTE 2600 sites benefiting customers in Metro Cebu and Davao underscored the commitment of the company to further improve indoor signal and capacity in major cities in the country.

Agustin stated that Globe is on the way of achieving its target of deploying about 4,500 multiband, multimode software-defined radio equipment to about 95% of cities and municipalities in the country within three years as committed to the National Telecommunications Commission.

Globe began the deployment of LTE sites using the 700 MHz band in June this year following a partial acquisition of San Miguel’s telecommunication assets, which also included spectrum resources in the 1800 MHz, 2300 MHz, and 2600 MHz.

Globe had set aside an additional network investment of USD300 million in October this year, bringing the company’s total capital expenditure for 2016 to USD1 billion.

According to Agustin, Globe plans to deploy more LTE sites in 2017 using the company’s additional spectrum assets to further accelerate its network build and enable the company to stay ahead of growing consumer demands.

The use of both LTE 700 and LTE 2600 bands, along with the company’s additional spectrum resources, supports the capacity enhancement initiative launched by the company early 2016 intended to elevate the state of internet in the country. Globe also launched early this year an initiative of creating an internet superhighway by deploying fiber optic cables in 20,000 barangays all over the country to provide faster and more reliable internet access in about 2 million homes nationwide.

However, the company’s aggressive bid to expand its telecommunication infrastructure is being hampered by circuitous permitting process for the establishment of telecommunication infrastructure such as cell sites.

For instance, Globe has a backlog of 3000 sites amid difficulties in securing permits from various local government units, homeowner associations and other government agencies. As a result, the Philippines only has about 21,000 total cell sites compared about 55,000 in Vietnam. (PNA)
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