Globe Telecom to invest close to $500 M to expand corporate data network for enterprises

Globe Telecom is investing close to $500 million over a five-year period beginning 2016 to expand its corporate data network to meet the ever-increasing bandwidth requirements of corporate and enterprise clients. This initiative is expected to attract more foreign investments and spur the growth of the Philippine economy.

“A growing number of enterprises today use software applications delivered via cloud which require significant bandwidth. Deploying fiber in key areas will enhance productivity, efficiency and competitiveness of businesses that will sustain the growth momentum of the Philippine economy,” said Rizza Maniego-Eala, Globe Acting Chief Finance Officer.

The corporate data expansion is intended to support the growth of our business clients, capitalizing on the changing business landscape with the strategic use of digital technologies, Eala said. Expansion of the company’s corporate data network will address client needs for additional bandwidth as they embrace new network technologies such as Software Defined Network/ Network Function Virtualization, Cloud, Big Data, among others. This initiative supports the ICT requirements of finance, services, retail, IT-BPO and manufacturing enterprises as they expand their operations to Visayas, Calabarzon and Davao.

The infrastructure build for enterprises runs parallel with the company’s initiative of creating an internet superhighway by deploying fiber in 20,000 barangays all over the country by 2020 to provide ultra-fast internet access to around 2 million homes nationwide. The massive infrastructure build also involves a capacity expansion program for both mobile and wireline using the different technologies that include 3G, LTE and Wi-Fi.

While technology has grown by leaps and bounds in the country and the number of mobile subscriptions in the country outnumbers the national population, there remains a need to invest in wired broadband. In fact, less than 10% of Filipinos have wired broadband connectivity.

“With the deployment of fiber broadband technology, the infrastructure for data connectivity of enterprises allows for fast, critical connections involving huge amounts of data at all times. We’re hoping that with the twin projects for enterprises and individual customers, they will have access to a more reliable and resilient network that addresses their need for ultra-fast data connectivity,” she added.

Globe Business, the corporate information and communications technology (ICT) arm of Globe Telecom, drives revenue growth of leading Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) companies in the Philippines based on statistics by Call Center Focus. Currently, Globe Business serves the top IT-BPO companies in the Philippines. In addition, Globe Business also records an 81% penetration of IT-BPO companies that are provided with business products and solutions. The local IT-BPO sector continues to be the fastest-growing industry in the country and revenues generated by the industry is expected to overtake OFW remittances in the next two years, according to the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP).