Home broadband penetration in the Philippines has always been low mainly due to the dominance of the mobile platform which accounted for 97% of total Internet users in the country based on the Digital 2020 report of HootSuite and We Are Social.
The pandemic, however, triggered the need for Filipinos to shift from mobile to home broadband for their internet requirements as demand for faster connectivity to support work, learning, and entertainment in the home increases.
Yet, current broadband infrastructure which heavily relies on copper cables, is not enough to provide the quality of connectivity that many homes are looking for now, prompting Globe to focus its attention on upgrading to fiber-optic networks. The growing subscriber takes up for Fiber to the Home (FTTH) also shows that there is significant market demand for the technology.
As of September this year, Globe At Home has already seen a 183% growth in the number of new customers who availed of broadband fiber plans as compared to the same period last year. Likewise, there was a 69% rise in the number of Globe At Home subscribers who already use broadband fiber during the same time frame.
“We are doing our best to offer our customers the kind of connectivity they need for a better data experience. Fiber to the Home is the best technology we have so far in terms of providing more bandwidth and reliability at an affordable cost. It is also flexible enough to meet future consumer demands,” said Darius Delgado, Globe VP and Head of Broadband Business.
Globe is also in the process of moving its subscribers to FTTH so they can enjoy high-speed Internet of up to 500 megabits per second (Mbps) which is ideal for large file transfers, video streaming, and conferencing, online learning, and online gaming, among others.
Despite the mobility constraints caused by the pandemic especially during the first quarter of 2020, the company was able to migrate 60% of its targeted customers to the newer and higher speed network for free from January to September this year. It has also increased its fiber rollouts covering key locations such as Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Cebu, and Davao.
Globe investments in FTTH also went up 189% this year compared to 2019. Rolling out FTTH is part of Globe’s massive network expansion and enhancement program which includes the nationwide upgrade of its 3G mobile network to 4G LTE as well as the deployment of 5G in more cities and provinces.
Globe has earmarked P50.3 billion in capital expenditures this year for network improvements. The company strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UNSDG No. 9 which highlights the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. Globe is committed to upholding the 10 United Nations Global Compact principles and 10 UN SDGs.
