Globe Telecom signs a $700-million network modernization project with Huaweit to be rolled out nationwide within the next five years.
Another contract was signed by Globe with Alcatel-Lucent, a network transformation leader, to manage the project.
“This is an unprecedented undertaking which will set the benchmark for the telecom industry in the country. Several companies claim to undergo transformation but have never done it in a scale such as this one. Globe and Huawei are set to build a brand new telecom network providing superior network quality, greater reliability, and increased voice and data capacity for superior customer experience. We are future-proofing our network to meet the current and future demands of the market using new technologies that are cost efficient and planet friendly,” said Ernest L. Cu, president and CEO of Globe.
Globe decided to award the project to Huawei after thorough evaluation and extensive deliberations of vendor proposals which proved Huawei’s technical expertise and strong track record of success, having done similar projects in other countries.
Globe and Huawei are also set to establish a Joint Innovation Center (JIC) to bring the latest technological developments to Globe and help address its customization needs. Huawei will provide opportunities for Globe to learn network best practices and tap into the latest developments of the 17 Research and Development centers of Huawei globally.
The network modernization, touted as the most significant investment of Globe in the last two decades, includes an all-IP infrastructure, pervasive 3G coverage, double fiber optics capacity, 4G and LTE readiness, and overall quality and resiliency. At least $570 million of the total amount is expected to be spent this year and the next.