Globe sees mobile data use to further grow as restrictions ease

Globe Telecom expects Filipinos' mobile data use to increase as the government moves to relax COVID restrictions.

File photo: Globe Telecom logo

PH mobile data use seen to soar

Last year, the telco said mobile data traffic surged to 3,733 petabytes in 2021, a 48 percent year-on-year growth from 2,517 petabytes in 2020.

The increased consumption lifted mobile data revenues to PHP 77.8 billion in the period, higher than the PHP 72.4 billion booked a year earlier. The figure accounted for 75 percent of the group's total mobile revenues.

We registered encouraging growth in data traffic in 2021, and we see this sustained this year as more people are now going back out for work, school and leisure, said Darius Delgado, Head of Globe Consumer Mobile Business.

Citing a recent report from global mobile landscape Data.ai, it said the Philippines was among the top mobile markets in 2021, logging growth in terms of mobile downloads and hours of mobile data use.

The official is confident Globe can address the rising demand as the telco continues to invest in its network buildup. He noted that the telco giant is targeting to spend PHP 89 billion in 2022.

In 2021, Globe built 1,407 new cell sites, while some 22,300 mobile sites were upgraded. It also fired up over 2,000 5G outdoor sites and in-building solutions.