Filipino operator Globe Telecom has unveiled its new Long Term Evolution (LTE) service, ‘Tattoo Black’, at a press conference in Makati City, and says the formal launch of commercial services will take place on 28 October. At that date, Globe intends to offer subscribers two LTE options: Tattoo Black Plan 1799 and Tattoo Black Elite 2499. The former will include a free USB dongle and offer a maximum download speed of 28Mbps, while Tattoo Black 2499 promises speeds of up to 42Mbps. Subscribers of both plans will have a dedicated hotline, priority handling in stores and a personal relationship manager to handle their accounts, the firm said. Commenting on the launch announcement, Globe-Tattoo’s head of nomadic broadband operations, Dong Ronquillo, confirmed that early adopters will be able to enjoy LTE services without a data cap until 31 January 2013.
Another unconfirmed report claims that Globe has announced an initial line-up of smartphones running on its new 4G LTE network, namely the Samsung Galaxy S III LTE, HTC One XL, ZTE T81 and Huawei P1 LTE handsets. The 4G phones are reportedly being offered under its post-paid packages, with key commercial and residential areas in Makati City being the first to have its LTE service, followed by some parts of Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao by year-end, it said. The launch of the Tattoo Black brand coincides with an announcement from rival cellco Smart Communications that it has conducted the first mobile LTE test in the country in a demonstration held in Cebu City.