Globe states that network restoration in Odette-hit areas also rely on power companies

Globe's President and CEO expressed his sentiment that network restoration efforts in Odette affected areas also rely on power companies too.

How is the Odette Network Restoration going for Globe?

What affects network restoration in Odette affected areas?

Full collaboration between power companies, telco companies, and road workers is a must

Globe's President and CEO Ernest Cu, during Globe's FY/Q4 2021 conference, stated that despite constant attempts to quicken network restoration, various dependencies make rebuilding at a faster pace more difficult. He claims that the lack of commercial electricity and poles for fiber connections is part to blame for a substantial portion of the prolonged outages.

The continual operation of cell towers and other infrastructure relies on the use of electricity. Globe has emergency power supplies such as generator sets, but these prove to be insufficient for long-term operations.

Over 2,500 poles have been destroyed, over 450 distribution transformers have been smashed, and over 330 circuit kilometers of power lines have been downed, according to Visayan Electric, the region's principal electrical supplier. Restoring electricity in impacted regions has yet to be completed due to the scale of the typhoon damage.

Only 28.83 percent of communities in the province had been partially restored with power as of February 4, according to the Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative. The Palawan Electric Cooperative projected that full power will be restored within the month in its February 10 report.

Broadband companies such as Globe rely on local cooperative poles to install fiber cables that link to people's houses, according to Cu. Broadband service supply is limited without the poles, he noted.

Meanwhile, owing to road repairs and expansion, telcos are unable to put fiber connections on the ground level. There may be some road or bush clearing required for aerial installation.

Despite this, Globe's ground teams have been working nonstop to restore 90 percent of the company's telecom services to consumers within the month, and the remaining 10 percent by mid-March. As of February 14, network restoration to customers' residences in Visayas and Mindanao has reached more than 80 percent. In addition, reinforcements are being dispatched to Cebu on a regular basis in order to expedite restoration work in the area.

Globe is a major supporter of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, notably SDG 9, which emphasizes the importance of infrastructure and innovation as drivers of economic growth and development. It is dedicated to maintaining the UN Global Compact principles and contributing to the UN's ten Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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