MOBILE services provider Globe Telecom Inc. is spending $2 billion over a five-year period to achieve its target of 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.
Globe Chief Commercial Officer Albert C. de Larrazabal said this will also help his company reduce the need to put up wireless infrastructure, thus, incurring savings.
“There are many programs and, if you line them up and total them, they could possibly reach $2 billion. However, as we optimize and we do more fiber, it will reduce some of the wireless infrastructure that we have to put up. But $2 billion over five years will be easy,” he said in an interview on Thursday.
Globe just spent $1 million to deploy fiber broadband technology in Binondo, Manila, a feat that will deliver “ultrafast” Internet to at least 5,000 new business and home subscribers.
“With fiber broadband technology in place, business establishments in Binondo will be able to utilize digital solutions that would enhance competitiveness, allowing these enterprises to operate more efficiently and expand their market reach,” he said. Home customers will be able to download and upload quantities of data, steam high-definition multimedia content and play online games, among others. Globe was able to secure local government approvals from the city of Manila, a usually painful process that normally runs for eight months to a year.
The rollout of fiber broadband technology in Binondo—scheduled to be completed by July—forms part of Globe’s initiative of creating an Internet superhighway nationwide.
Currently, the company is negotiating with other local government units for the development of so-called connected communities. It aims to deploy fiber-optic cable networks in 20,000 barangays by 2020.
De Larrazabal said Globe will also roll out small-cell technology in various parts of Binondo as part of its efforts to expand network coverage and capacity. These cell sites support multiple technologies such as 3G and LTE.