Expanding Internet Access in Less Developed Regions
In a strategic move to bridge the digital divide, Globe Telecom has announced plans to expand mobile connectivity in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) and underserved communities across the Philippines. This initiative forms part of the company's commitment to digital inclusion, aiming to support the country's digital transformation.
Key components of this plan include infrastructure expansion, public-private partnerships, digital empowerment, and customer-centric innovations.
Globe is focusing on building more cell sites in GIDAs. As of 2024, over 600 cell sites were operational in these areas, serving nearly 25 million residents across 7,063 barangays. The company is also investing in expanding its mobile footprint, enhancing existing cell sites, deploying energy-efficient infrastructure, and migrating from legacy networks to LTE services.
Public-private partnerships are another critical aspect of Globe's strategy. The company is supporting initiatives like the Department of Information and Communications Technology's Bayanihan SIM program, which provides mobile access to students, teachers, health workers, and local government units in remote communities. This collaboration underscores the potential for public-private partnerships to deliver tangible benefits in underserved areas.
By expanding connectivity, Globe aims to enable opportunities for millions of Filipinos to participate in the digital economy. This includes supporting education, healthcare, and economic activities through reliable mobile services. The company is also investing in customer-centric technologies, such as AI-native network architectures, to improve service quality and reach underserved communities more effectively.
Globe President and CEO Carl Cruz highlighted this strategic push at a recent event, emphasising the company's focus on not just profit-driven expansion but a socially responsible model that prioritises access where it matters most. Cruz's vision for Globe includes enabling equitable digital access, opening doors for millions of Filipinos to participate in the digital economy.
Cruz emphasised, "If a user's data consumption surpasses 30 GB per month, our strategy is not just about connectivity, but also about empowering households, enabling SMEs, and growing the digital economy."
By delivering mobile access in areas where education, health, and livelihoods depend on digital tools, Globe is helping to uplift communities, unlock potential, and close the access gap. This approach aligns with the company's mission to connect the unconnected, improving not only signal but also futures, and its broader commitment to equitable growth and long-term nation-building.
[1] Source: Globe Telecom's 2024 Sustainability Report [5] Source: Globe Telecom's 2024 Annual Report
- The expansion of mobile connectivity in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) by Globe Telecom, as part of their digital inclusion initiative, aims to support the education, healthcare, and economic activities of nearly 25 million residents across the Philippines.
- In their strategy, Globe Telecom is investing in public-private partnerships, such as the Department of Information and Communications Technology's Bayanihan SIM program, to provide mobile access to education, healthcare, and livelihood initiatives in remote communities across the Philippines.
- To help bridge the digital divide in the Philippines, Globe Telecom is focusing on building more cell sites in GIDAs, deploying energy-efficient infrastructure, migrating from legacy networks to LTE services, and investing in customer-centric technologies like AI-native network architectures, which will improve service quality and reach underserved communities more effectively.
