Globe Telecom Inc. on Thursday said its broadband fiber capacity lines rose 158 percent as of end September this year as the company increased its investments in fiber to the home (FTTH).

For the first half of 2020 alone, Globe’s FTTH capital expenditure was already 755 percent higher than the same period last year while the allocation for the second half of 2020 is 64 percent  higher than 2019.

The company programmed $300 million capex for FTTH. 

As of August this year, Globe already increased its fiber rollouts by nearly 5 2 percent compared to full year 2019.  This covered key locations such as Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Cebu, and Davao del Sur. 

Together with the optical fiber deployment, Globe is moving its broadband customers to the newer and higher speed network and has migrated 40 percent of its targeted customers since January this year.

“Data consumption patterns have really shifted to the home.  Classrooms have moved online, many offices are still implementing the work-from-home setup, and entertainment is mostly confined inside the house,” Darius Delgado, Globe vice president  and head of Broadband Business said.

“Because of this, our first priority is to continue to invest in the network because usage is increasing and demand for broadband services is high,” he added. 

The extensive use of digital platforms in the home for various activities requires faster and more stable internet connectivity. The demand can easily be fulfilled by fiber since it can send data faster at much higher bandwidths.  This allows faster download or upload of large files, streaming of high-definition videos and webinars, and multiple online programs to run simultaneously, among other benefits. It is delivered on a dedicated line which facilitates a more consistent experience and is less prone to service disruptions. 

Globe At Home customers may update their details in the Globe At Home app so they will be informed once fiber is available in their area and can get upgraded for free.  The app may be downloaded from Play Store for Android or App Store for iOS.

Rolling out fiber to homes is part of Globe’s massive network expansion and enhancement program which includes the nationwide upgrade of its 3G mobile network to 4G LTE as well as the deployment of 5G in more cities and provinces. 

Globe has earmarked P50.3 billion in capital expenditures this year for network improvements.