CEBU, Philippines - Globe Telecom Inc. announced yesterday its active rollout of WiMax technology in Cebu province, adding 85 more WiMax-ready sites in the entire province of Cebu.
In an interview with Globe Telecom regional sales head, for Central and Eastern Visayas Cleo Celeste C. Santos, she said that Globe will provide wireless fidelity (WiFi) technology in the province, using the high-speed WiMax technology.
To date, there are a total of 200 WiMax sites in Cebu, covering the Metro Cebu areas, and as far as Danao in the South, and CarCar in the North.
Since the company’s introduction of WiMax service in Cebu and in Central and Eastern Visayas provinces in the middle of last year, there are already a total of four thousand subscribers, about 90 percent of which are in Metro Cebu.
WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is wireless broadband access that presents a cost-efficient alternative to deploying internet access via cable and DSL. It has improved reach versus other wireless technologies as WiMAX covers greater distances than WI-FI, CDMA or even 3G and HSPA.
Globe tested WiMAX as early as 2005 and began the rollout in 2008. The WIMAX network was launched in February 2009 in Cebu City, the first in the Philippines to experience the WiMAX service of Globe. Upon launch Globe had the first 2.5 Ghz WiMAX (802.16 e) broadband network in Southeast Asia.
Currently, the Visayas operation is rolling out WiMax in Bohol and Leyte. More provinces will be covered in the next few months, as it aggressively installed WiMax sites all over the country.
In order to heighten the entry of WiMax in Cebu, Globe Telecom provided a free WiMax access to six public elementary schools in Cebu City and these include elementary schools of Zapatera, Banilad, City Central, Kamputhaw, Lahug and Barrio Luz.
This program is part of Globe’s vision to be the leader in ICT for Education campaign, connecting the initial six elementary schools in Cebu City to WiMax, the high-speed mobile broadband Internet of Globe through its Internet in Schools Program (ISP).
“With the high speed Internet connection of WiMax, students including teachers will have easy access to a wide range of information useful in enhancing the learning process,” said Globe corporate social responsibility (CSR) head Jeffrey Tarayao during the official launch and turn-over ceremony held yesterday at the Zapatera Elementary School.
ISP is one of the major initiatives of Globe to utilize Globe Broadband in providing free Internet for one year to applicable public schools all over the country. It is also one of the programs spearheaded by Globe in response to the nationwide program called Gearing Up Internet Literacy & Access for Students or GILAS.
This is the first time that Globe decided to include public Elementary Schools in ISP program, from only providing connection to the secondary or public high schools all over the country.
The Globe WiMax network is the first and largest mobile WiMax network in Southeast Asia to date. WiMax has improved reach versus other wireless technologies in the market as it covers greater distance and is 33 percent faster and more affordable than other broadband providers.