GLOBE Telecom is not slowing down when it comes to investment in its 3G (third generation) mobile-network business. It will, in fact, increase spending this year to anywhere from $60 million to $63 million from the $40 million to $50 million last year.

Despite the sluggish take-up in 3G subscription services, Globe remains committed to expand its 3G business.

“We are allotting about a third of the broadband capex to 3G spending this year. Probably 30 percent to 35 percent of the $180-million capex for broadband,” Globe president Gerardo Ablaza said in an interview. 

The cellular firm has so far invested $120 million to $150 million in its 3G mobile-phone business. “We are not slowing down on our 3G investments. We are in fact continuing our investment in 3G. We are committed to 3G because it is the migration path to 2G [second generation],” said Ablaza.

In 2006, Globe spent $60 million to $65 million for its 3G network. Investments for this capital-intensive technology fell to $40 million to $50 million in 2007.

There are 600,000 3G handsets at any given time in Globe’s network but only 250,000 to 300,000 are active users. The industry was expecting that the number of 3G users would shoot up once the cost of 3G handsets goes down. But the number of users who actually subscribe to 3G services has not grown rapidly.

“The focus now is how 3G can be used for wireless broadband because 3G is not only for mobile service,” Ablaza added.

AYALA Land Inc. (ALI), the largest property developer in the country, is allotting P24 billion for capital expenditure this year, a sum 60-percent higher than the P15-billion capex it set in 2007.

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GLOBE Telecom is not slowing down when it comes to investment in its 3G (third generation) mobile-network business. It will, in fact, increase spending this year to anywhere from $60 million to $63 million from the $40 million to $50 million last year.

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