Increased data consumption, both mobile and broadband, drove the performance of Globe for the first nine months of 2020 as consumers turned to online platforms for entertainment, e-commerce, telework, learning and keeping in touch with families and friends since the pandemic struck last March. 

Data-related revenues for the nine-month period made up 75% of total service revenues with mobile data contributing 49%; home broadband, 18%; and corporate data, 8%.

Mobile data revenues generated P53.4 billion from January to September 2020 from P52.1 billion in the same period last year as a result of the shift to more online activities. Mobile data now accounts for 69% of mobile revenues from 63% a year ago. Mobile data traffic jumped from 1,200 petabytes in the first nine months of 2019 to 1,762 petabytes this period, or a 47% growth year-on-year.

On the other hand, home broadband posted P7.0 billion in revenues this quarter, up 28% versus the same quarter last year and 4% higher than last quarter. This allowed the home broadband business to maintain its upward momentum by posting a 22% year-on-year revenue growth to reach P19.5 billion this period, from P16.1 billion last year. 

Total home broadband subscriber base now stands at over 3.4 million, up 82% from the first nine months of 2019, driven mainly by the sustained increase of fixed wireless broadband users,  up by 119% from last year. 

Home Prepaid WiFi (HPW), likewise,  increased its traction with a 226% growth in users from the same period last year. As of end-September of 2020, Home Prepaid WiFi  data traffic soared to 352 petabytes from 77 petabytes in the same period of 2019. The highly-improved performance of the home broadband business was also attributed to the greater demand for faster and reliable internet connection as more companies pivoted towards work from home arrangements, and educational institutions shifted to online classes as a result of COVID-19.

“This upswing in data consumption was a result of more relevant promotions that Globe released to cater to the changing needs of our customers coupled by the fact that many of our customers are now more conscientious of their data consumption.  This is evidenced by the rapidly expanding data needs of Filipinos which will only continue to grow as the economy recovers,” said Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO.

With the pandemic transforming data pattern and consumer behavior, Globe also saw the need to accelerate its fiber and 5G network rollouts even further as well as hasten the migration  from 3G to 4G LTE networks for improved customer data experience.  

The company has allocated P50.3 billion in capital expenditures this year for network improvements also in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 9 which highlights the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. Globe is committed to upholding the 10 United Nations Global Compact principles and 10 UN SDGs.

For more information, visit www.globe.com.ph.