Globe steps up use of new frequencies

Globe Telecom said it had rolled out high-capacity broadband data infrastructure in Visayas and Mindanao as it started using recently acquired radio frequencies.

In a statement, Globe said its expanded allocation in the 2600 megahertz spectrum was launched across 130 cell sites in Visayas and Mindanao. These were part of the radio frequency assets of San Miguel Corp. that Globe jointly acquired with rival PLDT in a P70-billion deal last month.

“The 2600-MHz spectrum is well placed for increasing network capacities using the state-of-the art LTE technology,” Globe said in a statement.

Lower frequencies such as the 700MHz band provide better signal penetration and offering stronger indoor coverage. Higher frequencies, such as the 2600MHz band, provide additional capacity for broadband data,  Joel Agustin, Globe SVP for program governance, network technical group, said.

The company is planning to use the 2600 MHz band in more sites in line with efforts to immediately put to use frequencies that were previously “underutilized.”

“This is particularly beneficial for our customers especially since they now demand more bandwidth capacities in light of their growing inclination for multi-media content,” Agustin said.

“In fact, to fully realize the benefits of the 2600 MHz frequency, the 130 sites where we deployed the additional spectrum is just an initial rollout and we plan to fire up a substantial number of our sites in this band,” he added.

The rollout plan is separate from that for the 700 MHz spectrum, considered the main target of the SMC telco acquisition. Globe plans to roll out the 700 MHz across 200 cell sites this year while PLDT was targeting 360 sites.