GLOBE Telecom is committed to further expand their mobile network in Mindanao as they modernize and upgrade their facilities in the island.
Levi Lopez, Globe Telecom senior director for Mobile and Broadband Program Management Office, said during the Globe Business Solutions Davao Launch on September 20 at the Seda Abreeza Hotel that the telecommunications firm has been pouring in massive investments to expand and create a robust data network.
"This includes increasing the capacity of the network, building LTE sites, modernizing our networking, and expanding our coverage," he said.
Lopez said in Mindanao, they are targeting to upgrade 1,268 cell sites, modernize 1,102 sites, and build 271 new sites.
To date the company has already upgraded 909 cell sites, modernized 930 sites, and built 15 new sites. A total of 184 new sites are also ongoing completion.
Globe is targeting to complete the upgrading of 359 sites in Mindanao by the end of 2018. The company is also targeting to modernize 172 sites and build 72 new cell sites by the end of the year.
Lopez said the modernization and upgrading of the sites are expected to be completed within the next two months.
He said on top of those that are being upgraded right now, the company has recently approved 400 more site upgrades for Mindanao.
"We have already kicked it off and projects are already mobilizing," Lopez said.
He said by increasing the capacity of their network, this is to ensure that as traffic grows their network will be able to handle them.
Lopez said they are also increasing their LTE coverage in Mindanao.
"For Mindanao, our year on year LTE growth is at 32 percent and by end of this year at least 86 percent of the towns will have an LTE (coverage)," he said.
Lopez they have also recently established their data center in Davao. The data center provides resiliency from NCR and Visayas.
To date, the company has already invested some $1 billion dollars to modernize its network; $250 million for its submarine cable system; and $500 million for corporate data modernization for its whole network.