Globe Telecom saw its mobile data traffic jump by 421% to 370 petabytes in the first three months of 2019 from 71 petabytes in the same quarter of 2016. This steady surge in mobile data traffic is mostly attributed to more customers streaming videos on their smartphones and tablets.
“With the explosion of data traffic consumption, building more cell towers and modernizing our network infrastructure will continue to play a fundamental role in delivering superior quality of experience to our customers. This is why we will continue ramping up our network rollout and utilizing next-generation technologies to enhance the way our customers experience mobile data,” said Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu.
The company’s mobile data traffic of 370 petabytes in the first quarter of the year is 21% higher than its competitor’s 304 petabytes in the same period. This latest figure is also 105% higher than the 180 petabytes Globe recorded in the first three months in 2018.
Fueled by this increase in data usage, Globe Telecom’s consolidated service revenues for the first quarter of 2019 amounted to P36 billion, up by 13% from a year ago and 3% higher from the previous quarter. Mobile data continued to be the top contributor to the company’s total mobile business, amounting to P16.5 billion for the first three months of the year. A wide range of value-for-money surfing promos and content offers – through the company’s partnerships with local and international content providers – have helped advance this surge in consumer spending on mobile data.
To support customers’ rising demand for data services, Globe continues to heavily invest in its network. An estimated 68% of the total capital expenditures of P8.8 billion for the first quarter of 2019 was allotted for data-related services. This was used to build on its network capacities and ramp up its cell site deployment to elevate the quality of experience of its customers.