Globe Launches First 4G Mobile Service in the Philippines

Posted on April 17th, 2011. Written by Rico.

In a move asserted as “a Philippine first”, Globe today announced that it will start offering fourth-generation (4G) mobile technology to its customers. Included in this roll out is the availability of the country’s first commercial HSPA+ (Evolved High-Speed Packet Access) service.

More knowledgeable readers may know HSPA+ as the faster successor to popular wireless internet technologies like 3G and HSDPA (3.5G), which use cellular networks to provide online connectivity to phones, tablet PCs, laptops, and other supported gadgets within network coverage. The theoretical max for HSPA+ networks is 21 Mbps (megabits per second), which translates to a download speed of around 2,625 kilobytes—or over 2 megabytes—a second.

Take note however that 21 Mbps is the theoretical max. Through its HSPA+ service, Globe promises average download rates of 4-6 Mbps (or 500 to 700 kilobytes a second), with “even faster peak speeds” under its new HSPA+ network. As always, the final connection speed will depend on the quality of coverage, and whether or not the phone or gadget used supports the higher radio frequencies associated with HSPA+.

The roll out has been characterized by Globe as a complement to its existing “4G footprint”, with the company pointing to its existing WiMax network. The telco has long offered WiMax broadband services to its subscribers, another kind of wireless technology that due to competitor advertising campaigns falls under the “4G” label (though technically WiMax represents an entirely different track of wireless data evolution). Unlike HSPA+ however, WiMax is designed for less mobile applications, specifically as a viable alternative for home users who have limited wired broadband options in their area.

Tomorrow, Globe will officially announce through full-page newspaper ads an investment of $500 million (half a billion dollars!) for:

• “a better Globe experience”
• “the biggest… investment… for network upgrades and quality”
• improving “2G and 3G networks”, and the expansion of Globe’s “existing 4G network, starting with the launch of the first 4G mobile network in the country”

The promise by the telco? “Seamless connectivity”, “fastest downloads”, and “crystal-clear calls wherever you are”. Globe has also said it will reveal its suite of 4G-related products and services shortly. Stay tuned for updates!