Globe also announced that it has logged 5.2 million 5G devices on its network as of June 2023
Globe Telecom, the largest mobile network operator in the Philippines said it has deployed 356 new 5G sites nationwide in the first half of the year.
In a release, the telco said this continuous deployment has resulted in a 5G outdoor coverage of 97.44% in the National Capital Region and 91% in key cities of Visayas and Mindanao.
Globe also announced that it has logged 5.2 million 5G devices on its network as of June 2023.
“Our continuous infrastructure investment is focused on uplifting customer experience, delivering a highly consistent and available network. These investments cover capacity and coverage expansion to improve service performance and network fortification to further improve service availability, and continuous optimization to improve service quality,” said Joel Agustin, Globe SVP of network planning and engineering.
Globe also noted it is currently carrying out tests and pilots of 5G SA, end-to-end network slicing and private 5G SA networks.
Finnish vendor Nokia recently said it is deploying its modular Interleaved Passive Active Antenna (IPAA+) for Globe Telecom across the southern islands of the Philippines.
The European vendor noted that this new deployment will help to accelerate 5G deployment in the region.
Nokia’s IPAA+ solution has a light, modular design and supports all 5G frequency bands in a single antenna, including the 2.6 GHz spectrum band, the vendor said. Nokia’s IPAA+ also has the capability to support other bands, which means that previous investments made by operators are protected.
The vendor also highlighted that the antenna overcomes the challenge of finding space on towers and rooftops to expand 5G coverage, with its lightweight and more compact design. Combining the 4G passive and 5G active antennas together into a compact solution can also help lower site rental costs and make the acquisition of sites faster, the vendor added.
Nokia and Globe’s engineering team also successfully trialed a Globe Telecom-specific variant of the IPAA+ in the field. The field test was carried out in Tantangan, South Cotabato, on the island of Mindanao.
In February 2021, Nokia had announced that it was selected by Globe Telecom for a three-year deal to upgrade its existing 4G network, as well as expand the geographical reach of its 5G network at over 1,000 sites in the Philippines. That deployment covered the second and third largest islands of Mindanao and Visayas and began in 2021, with completion expected this year.
Under the terms of the agreement, Nokia was expected to provide equipment and services from its comprehensive 5G AirScale portfolio to build out the Radio Access Network (RAN), including base stations and other radio access products. Globe Telecom will also use Nokia’s high-capacity AirScale massive MIMO Adaptive Antenna solution, which utilizes64TR radios, to boost coverage and performance.
