Globe Telecom Inc. is on track to build more towers this year while still on the lookout for opportunities to sell its cell towers.
Globe said it targets to build about 1,700 cell sites this year, 21 percent more than the 1,407 cell sites built last year.
Globe added it continues to aggressively expand and modernize its network by firing up 252 cell sites in the first quarter of the year, bringing its total cell towers to 12,194 as of end-March.
“We want as many Filipinos to enjoy the benefits of mobile technology and have access to the Internet, even in far-flung areas. This way, more people can enjoy the digital solutions that are accessible through our network and help uplift the lives of many,” said Ernest Cu, Globe president and chief executive officer.
Rizza Maniego-Eala, Globe chief financial officer, said in the telco’s recent financial briefing the company is still looking at opportunities to sell its towers.
“We always continue to look out for opportunities with respect to selling our passive assets which include our towers, and the recent transaction from our competition has made the environment even more friendly,” she said.
The company is focused on partnering with tower companies (towerco) to continue expanding its coverage and further improve its services.
“With respect to selling the towers at the moment, (we) continue to focus in partnering with the same tower companies to help us with continuous build,” Maniego-Eala said.
Globe has 91 towerco sites on air since the start of the year.
For 2022, Globe earmarked P89 billion for its capital expenditure to build new cell sites, upgrade existing sites to 4G/Long Term Evolution, accelerate the rollout of 5G connectivity, and ramp up the fiberization of Filipino homes nationwide.
Its 5G network now covers 93 percent of the population in the National Capital Region and 80 percent of the population in Visayas and Mindanao.
With its non-stop network upgrades, Globe was named the most consistent Philippine mobile operator in the first quarter of the year by global analytics firm Ookla.
Based on the latest Ookla Speedtest Intelligence data in the Philippines, Globe had a nationwide consistency score of 79.45 from January to March 2022, compared to 70.43 in the same period last year.
Independent global standard Opensignal also recognized Globe for having the most consistent mobile quality in the country in its April 2022 Mobile Network Experience Report for the Philippines, which used data from January 1 to March 31, 2022.
