The fibre war intensified in the Philippines yesterday, after number two operator Globe Telecom hit back with its own line-up of 1Gbps plans less than 24 hours after bigger rival PLDT unveiled its 1Gbps PLDT HOME Fibr offer. In a press release, Globe confirmed its intention to shore up its broadband business, launching a range of residential tariffs based on fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) technology, including its flagship Platinum Broadband Plans, with internet speeds of up to 1Gbps at PHP9,499 (USD204.15) per month, and a cut-price 50Mbps connection at PHP2,499.
PLDT’s own offer starts at PHP1,899 per month and is available in over 1,600 Fibr-powered villages nationwide, including Valle Verde 1-6, Forbes Park, Dasmarinas Village and Ayala Alabang Village, among others. Globe, however, says it is intent on offering the ‘best’ service, and said of Platinum Broadband: ‘The offering of a more aggressive home broadband portfolio also forms part of the telco’s efforts to uplift the state of internet services in the country by giving customers access to a faster internet experience with lower monthly service fees.’ Globe’s plans provide unlimited data, and also come with free access to Spotify, NBA League Pass, and HOOQ.
Globe’s new offers are expected to go live today (Friday 23 October) with coverage areas currently as follows:
• 50Mbps to 100Mbps plans: over 80 Platinum-covered sites in select key areas within Ortigas, Taguig City, Alabang, Makati, Eastwood, Rockwell, Mandaluyong, Pasay, Pasig, San Juan, Muntinlupa, Las Pinas, Paranaque, Manila, Quezon City, and Santa Rosa, Laguna
• 200Mbps plan: initially offered in Green Meadows, Acropolis, White Plains, Forbes Par, Bel-Air Village, Urdaneta Village, Ayala Alabang, Alabang 400, Southbay Gardens, The Amaryllis, San Lorenzo Village, Serendra, Abrio Nuvali, and Ayala Greenfield Estates
• 500Mbps and 1Gbps plans: available in Acropolis, Bel-Air Village, Forbes Park, Greenmeadows, Urdaneta Village, and White Plains.
Globe confirmed that ‘all plans will be available in more sites over the coming months as the telco’s fibre network expands to more areas nationwide’.