Globe Telecom has fulfilled its goal of deploying one million new fibre-optic lines this year, three months ahead of schedule. ‘All of our regional teams delivered big numbers especially in Luzon that helped reach our aspiration despite the continuing challenges of the pandemic. With rollouts in full swing, we expect to sustain the momentum until the end of the year,’ said Joel Agustin, Globe senior VP for programme delivery, network technical group.
Globe’s deployment is supported by the telco’s capital spending programme. As previously reported by CommsUpdate, earlier this month the operator revised its projected capital expenditure for the current year to PHP76 billion (USD1.52 billion) from PHP70 billion. It previously revealed that in H1 2021, its CAPEX reached PHP43.3 billion – 107% higher than the sum committed in H1 2020 – to improve and upgrade its fixed, broadband and mobile network infrastructure. Indeed, 88% of the monies went on data network builds to meet pent-up customer demand and fulfil a pledge to deliver high speed connectivity to all Filipinos. Globe’s aggressive network expansion and network modernisation is core to its business strategy to make high speed connectivity accessible for homes and businesses, and usher the Philippines ‘closer to being a digital nation’. To support this drive it is making fibre access ‘more affordable’ by offering a low-cost residential UNLI Fiber UP 35Mbps plan for PHP1,499 per month.