Globe to upgrade half of cell sites

Subscribers of Globe will start to feel some changes by the middle of next year. To increase capacity and improve network quality, Globe Telecom Inc. yesterday said it will convert 50 percent of its cell sites into fiber-optic, making them 3G-enabled and capable of using the most advanced 4G technologies such as HSPA and long-term evolution (LTE). The move would also address growing demand for bandwidth. Jesus Romero, head of Globe Business, said half of its 6,000 base stations will be converted into fiber-optic to improve capacity by next year, adding that Globe subscribers will start to feel the improvement in quality of signals by June 2012. "There’s a dramatic increase in data now. Subscribers use 12 gigabits per day. In the next three years we anticipate that it will increase to 16 gigabits per day. The network is a bit stressed, so we will (upgrade) the network to address the new behavior of subscribers," Romero said. The network upgrade will benefit both Globe’s end consumers and enterprise clients. Romero said that, for consumers, the upgrade will address the issues on drop calls, delay in SMS and slow data connection. Romero said that enterprise clients use more than a third of the network, so the upgrade to fiber-optic would benefit specially the BPO clients, allowing them to expand in more areas in the Philippines. Aside from an optimized and resilient network, the modernization initiative will enable the company’s technical team to respond to network-related issues quickly regardless of location, and efficiently address them at a much faster pace, ensuring service availability at the soonest time possible. Once the new system is in place, Globe will have an integrated front-end application that will allow Globe Stores and call centers to respond quickly to customer queries and service requests. "We envision an unparalleled customer experience that will truly set Globe apart from competition. The modernized Globe network and IT systems will address all current needs of our customers, at the same time, have the capacity and capability for more sophisticated use of mobile and broadband technologies. Our plans are ambitious, yet necessary step to help sustain our momentum towards being a customer-centric organization," explained Robert Tan, chief technical adviser of Globe. Globe will also establish a Joint Innovation Center (JIC) with its technology partner, Huawei, that will provide opportunities for Globe to learn network best practices and tap into the latest developments of the 17 research and development centers of Huawei globally. "This is a milestone not only for Globe but for the rest of our growing subscriber base. Our network is the backbone that enables quality delivery of our products and services. By modernizing our network infrastructure and its key elements, we are in a better position to efficiently and effectively provide the needs of our customers, as well as maintain our competitive position in the market," said Tan. Globe set aside $790 million for its modernization program in the next five years to improve its services. As of the end of the first three quarters, the company total capital expenditures had reached nearly P13.9 billion, driven by the continued investments in its broadband and mobile networks, and were lower than last year’s spending of about P15.8 billion. Globe mobile subscribers stand at 29.1 million, 15 percent higher compared last year same period, while broadband subscribers stood at 1.4 million subscribers.