In the Philippines, faster mobile Internet speed is as elusive as the unicorn. But now, Globe Telecom is saying everyone can have a unicorn… or something like that.
Globe is said to be accelerating the rollout of LTE service by using the 700 megahertz frequency to activate more cell sites for improved mobile internet services.
What exactly is the power of 700MHz? It’s a type of low-band frequency noted for its ability to cover wide spaces and penetrate walls at lower costs.
It was previously used by analog television broadcasting before the industry turned digital.
The 700MHz is considered a “better and cheaper” mobile Internet service.
It may be recalled that Globe gained the right to use the 700 MHz band — along with the 1800 MHz, 2300 MHz and 2600 MHz bands — when it acquired a 50% share of San Miguel Corporation’s Telecommunication Business earlier this year.
READ: PLDT and Globe buy what would have been San Miguel-Telstra venture, promises faster internet for all
“Globe aims to activate more than 500 LTE sites with the 700 MHz band across the country by the end of the year. A majority of these sites would be located in Metro Manila to allow the telco to provide 100 percent coverage of LTE 700. The move is expected to substantially improve mobile Internet experience of customers,” reports Louella Desiderio in The Philippine Star.
In a statement, Globe senior vice president for program governance (network technical group) Joel Agustin explained that “the LTE sites using the 700 MHz frequency cover major business districts and highly-urbanized and populated areas where the number of customers using LTE 700 devices are steadily increasing.”
The report noted: “In Quezon City where Globe powered its first cell site with 700 MHz, majority of the area is now covered with the technology.”
So, does this mean that many Globe customers in Quezon City are now being treated to faster Internet speed? Can they tell the difference?
