Globe mobile business continues uptrend as post-pandemic mobility resumes

Globe sees a continuing uptrend in mobile use in the country as more Filipinos regain mobility amid easing pandemic restrictions.

This has been apparent since the close of 2021, when Globe logged soaring mobile data traffic at 3,733 petabytes, a 48 percent year-on-year growth from 2,517 petabytes in 2020.

Globe also posted record mobile data revenues at 77.8 billion by end-2021, from 72.4 billion in 2020, with digital acceleration driven by connectivity needs in the pandemic. In 2021, Globe mobile data accounted for 75% of mobile revenues, up from 70 percent the year earlier.

“We registered encouraging growth in data traffic in 2021, and we see this sustained this year as more people are now going back out for work, school and leisure,” said Darius Delgado, Head of Globe Consumer Mobile Business.

Delgado said Globe’s network is ready to support the rising demand for mobile connectivity, with aggressive builds backed by CAPEX of P89 billion this year. Globe seeks to further boost its network to improve service with continued cell site builds, upgrades to 4G/LTE, 5G rollout acceleration and expediting fiberization of households and companies across the country.

In its 2022 report on the global mobile landscape, Data.ai, a unified data AI platform that analyzes consumer and market data, said the Philippines was among top mobile markets in 2021, logging growth in terms of mobile downloads and hours of mobile data use.

According to data.ai (formerly App Annie), the Philippines is 10th globally in terms of iOS and Google Play downloads, recording 25% growth between 2020 and 2021. The amount of time that users spent on mobile via Android also grew to upwards of 100 billion hours from 90 billion in 2020 and around 65 billion in 2019.

Data.ai also noted how the global mobile ecosystem got “healthier than ever” in 2021, with the release of 2 million new apps and games boosting user engagement.

As a digital solutions platform, Globe offers various services accessible via mobile in the areas of fintech, edutech, telehealth and many others. Its GCash app has enabled easier financial transactions through the pandemic, while telehealth platform KonsultaMD became an indispensable tool to quickly access medical consultations remotely during the health crisis.

“Our years of groundwork on digital expansion reached a timely culmination during the pandemic, providing crucial service to Filipinos when mobility was severely limited. We will continue to leverage on our innovation prowess to support the digital enablement of Filipinos,” said Delgado.

Globe’s thrust to spearhead the country’s digital transformation through ICT is aligned with its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 9, which highlights the role of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development.

To know more about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.