Mobile internet traffic surged by at least 12 percent during Christmas Day and New Year’s Day versus customers’ usage in the previous month, according to Globe Telecom Inc.

For the rest of 2020, subscribers used popular virtual interactive apps like Zoom and Skype during weekdays, slightly dropping on weekends suggesting that more customers use these apps for work from home and distance learning or online class requirements.

Hence, this 2021 Globe is ramping up investments, targeting more than 2.5x the number of fiber to homes in 2020.

For mobile, the telco will build 2,000 sites including in-building solutions, partnerships with independent tower companies and new cell sites.

Globe is looking at making 4G LTE as the new standard of mobile services.

Globe will likewise continue to expand its 5G footprint as more 5G-capable devices enter the market.

The aggressive roll out of 5G will happen this year in more cities and municipalities nationwide.

With a better data network in place, voice services will likewise improve by providing VoLTE (Voice Over LTE) and VoWiFi (Voice Over WiFi), to deliver clearer voice calls, faster call setup and near zero dropped calls. VoLTE and VoWiFi was initially being rolled out in NCR and in other parts of Luzon, and will be implemented in Visayas and Mindanao this year.

“As we go forward and upwards, Globe is committed to advance and improve our network infrastructure," announced President and Chief Executive Officer, Ernest Cu.

"While the new sites will need time to be built and fired up, the recent unimpeded permitting process has proven to be the much-needed catalyst for the telco industry. Improving the country's state of connectivity and internet speed is a continuing effort that requires both public and private sector support.”