Globe is beefing up its site upgrades in the province of Guimaras, known as the “mango capital” of the Philippines.

As part of its commitment to improve network connectivity in the country, Globe is eyeing to complete the modernization of its 4G LTE network in 43 locations across the island province by September.

“We wanted to make our presence felt in areas that initially we don’t have a strong foothold. We would like to assure our customers that Globe will have additional installations and site upgrades for more parts of Western Visayas for the whole year,” Joel Agustin, Globe senior vice president for Program Delivery, Network Technical Group, said in a statement on Sunday.

In 2020, Globe installed at least 11 new cell towers all over Guimaras that enabled its customers in underserved areas to experience a marked improvement in call, SMS (short message service) and data browsing experience.

The improvement of services has been felt by customers, especially in the capital town of Jordan, who rely on internet connectivity for their livelihood.

Andrew Tanaleon, a videographer, said the pandemic hurt the local economy. His province’s geographic location — surrounded by water, also posed additional challenges. He said this is why a good and reliable signal plays a major role in his work’s success.

Tanaleon added the recent installation of new Globe cell sites has given him the much needed shot in the arm that he wished for a long time. The much improved internet connection enabled him to provide more for his family, he said.

“Sobrang laking tulong yan lalo na ngayon panahon ng pandemya. Kagaya nating may pamilya sa Metro Manila, hindi na natin sila nakakausap dahil sa lockdown. Yan ang nagiging tulay ng communication natin para sa mga mahal natin sa buhay (It is such a big help especially during this time of a pandemic. Like us who have a family in Metro Manila, we cannot talk with them because of the lockdown. This is what serves as a bridge of communication for our loved ones),” he added.

Globe is eyeing to build at least 2,000 new cell sites this year and bring better connectivity to more areas all over the county.

The company edged competition in 10 out of 17 regions in the Philippines in terms of mobile download speed based on Ookla®’s Q1 2021 data [1]. This is a reflection of the telco’s rigorous network upgrades to provide customers with better mobile data experience.

According to Ookla®’s Q1 2021 data, Globe has registered the fastest mobile download speeds in the following regions: Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Bicol, Cagayan Valley, Caraga, Cordillera Administrative Region, Eastern Visayas, Ilocos Region, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, and Zamboanga. These regions have been enjoying median mobile download speeds of at least 5.76 Mbps to 9.08 Mbps.

Globe supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG), specifically UN SDG No. 9 which emphasizes 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.