The Philippines' Globe Telecom has revealed plans to launch LTE services from next month, in answer to rival Smart's own LTE launch over the weekend.
Globe intends to start rolling out LTE starting in Makati City from next month, and complete its LTE upgrade in the fourth quarter of this year, the Philippine Daily Inquirerreported.
This is a reversal of Globe's previous wait-and-see approach when it comes to LTE technology.
The announcement appears to be timed to coincide with Smart's commercial-scale LTE launch, with Globe's rollout timed to minimize its rival's 4G head-start.
Globe plans to initially offer LTE data services through its Tattoo broadband brand, and start offering LTE services for smartphones from the fourth quarter.
The LTE rollout forms part of Globe's $700 million network modernization program, which is now approaching completion.
Globe has been a supporter of efforts by the ITU and the GSMA to harmonize 700-MHz mobile broadband spectrum, in a bid to increase the GDP benefit of the LTE evolution and minimize the impact of interference.