After their collaboration in Globe Telecom?s massive digital transformation, the Ayala-owned operator has signed another five-year deal with Chinese telecom firm Huawei to further expand Globe?s mobile network.
The partnership was provided for in a memorandum of understanding signed by Globe president and CEO Ernest Cu and Huawei rotating CEO and vice chairman Eric Xu on Nov. 23.
The cost of the deal was not disclosed.
Specifically, the partnership involves planning and design of a mobile broadband network utilizing latest technology trends. It also involves the creation of a ?mobile innovation center? to yield innovative products and solutions for Globe.
Huawei was also Globe?s technology partner when it implemented a $700 million network modernization program that began in 2011. The modernization initiative, completed last year, delivered a 4G network, using the HSPA+ technology.
?Globe is committed in investing in and developing its mobile broadband network, understanding the needs of a growing chunk of our customers for high-speed data connectivity on their mobile devices as they continue to build their lives around a digital lifestyle,? Cu said in a statement.
According to Cu, the partnership with Huawei will extend towards capacity expansion of both Globe?s 3G and 4G network, comprising an upgrade of the mobile operator?s LTE network through deployment of LTE CA (carrier aggregation) technology for a more pervasive reach of the cutting-edge mobile data technology.
The partnership will also cover development of greenfield sites, deployment of small cell technology, extensive indoor coverage expansion program, core network upgrade, and expansion of the company?s fiber footprint.
To sufficiently provide for burgeoning data traffic amid growing smartphone use in the country, Cu emphasized there?s an immediate need for the reallocation and harmonization of the 700 megahertz of frequency originally allocated for broadcast.
?Globe has also taken the position that the 700 Mhz band is a major class of spectrum that has to be made available to major players and should not be held by just one player in the market,? said Cu.
Local conglomerate San Miguel Corp. holds all of the 700 Mhz in addition to their holdings of the 800,1800, 2300 ad 2500 frequency bands.
He maintained that harmonization of the 700 Mhz will help improve internet speed in the country, noting that only the Philippines hasn?t reallocated the 700 Mhz band for broadband.
?It is essential that the 700 Mhz frequency band is put to use to further enhance data connectivity in the country,? he stressed.
As early as 2005, Globe already wrote to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) requesting for an allocation and assignment of frequencies within the 700 Mhz and 800 Mhz for its broadband wireless network. The NTC, however, did not act favorably on its request.
As part of its continuing efforts to improve data experience of its customers, Globe became the first operator in the world early this year to deploy Huawei?s SingleSON (self-organizing network) solution.
The SingleSON solution has helped Globe optimize its wireless network performance, operation and maintenance (O&M) as it enables the telco to manage the explosive growth and development of mobile data services traffic, which is foreseen to continue into the next decade.