Globe added 408 new 5G sites in Q1, lifting coverage to 98%

Globe Telecom Inc. further expanded its 5G network in the first quarter of 2026, deploying 408 new cell sites as rising mobile data consumption continued to drive demand for faster connectivity.

In a statement over the weekend, the Ayala-led telco said the rollout raised its outdoor 5G coverage to more than 98 percent across Metro Manila and key cities in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Complementing the wider 5G footprint is Globe’s recent rollout of its direct-to-mobile satellite service with Elon Musk’s Starlink. Globe plans to use this offering to reach the remaining 4 percent of Filipinos still beyond the coverage of terrestrial mobile networks.

This satellite-backed technology allows users to stay connected even when conventional cell sites are out of range or unavailable, provided their devices have a clear line of sight to the sky.

“While we continue to expand our 5G network, we intend to deepen our fiber footprint and differentiate more using digital technologies,” said Darius Delgado, Globe’s chief commercial officer.

Globe’s network expansion also comes as mobile data continues to dominate its wireless business. In the first quarter, data accounted for 89 percent of mobile service revenues, up from 85 percent a year earlier.

Mobile data revenues rose 11 percent year-on-year, while data traffic grew 18 percent. Globe attributed this to higher usage of video streaming, social media, gaming, digital payments and other online services.

Average monthly data usage also increased to about 16 gigabytes per subscriber, with more than 39 million Globe customers actively using mobile data out of the company’s total subscriber base of about 67 million.

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“Our priority is to execute on our plans well. We will deliver better customer experience through our digital platforms and serve products that are relevant through hyperpersonalization,” Delgado said.

Globe ended the first quarter with a net income of P5.6 billion, down 20 percent from a year earlier amid what it described as a “challenging economic backdrop.”

Even so, its core net income rose 9 percent to P4.9 billion, buoyed by sustained demand for mobile data, fiber broadband and enterprise connectivity services.