Globe Telecom Inc. expects more prepaid data uptake and mobile revenues for 2022 after the government eases pandemic restrictions and the economy begins to open up.

This is because customer mobility is a huge factor in the consumption of prepaid mobile data packs and promos, reasoned Darius Delgado, Globe Head of Consumer Mobile Business.

People often use mobile data when they travel, socialize, and go out for entertainment, or even in school or at their place of work, he pointed out.

While some establishments provide free WiFi access, most public places do not offer such service.

“During the lockdowns, we see our prepaid top-ups decline," according to Delgado.

"It's because those who have broadband connections at home offload their usage to broadband, while those whose incomes are affected by the lockdowns control their spending."

However, "We see recovery as soon as restrictions are lifted. So we expect improvements in the take-up of our prepaid data packs.”

Globe mobile brands are most vulnerable to mobility restrictions given high broadband penetration and a sizable base of customers belonging to families with incomes highly affected by lockdowns.

As restrictions ease and people get to move around more freely, the financially constrained segment can start rebuilding their spending capacity.

Nevertheless, it might take time for the mobile business to return to pre-pandemic levels due to customer behavior changes, Delgado conceded.

As broadband penetration increases, data usage and household spending will now be split between mobile and broadband, regardless of mobility restrictions.

“We expect our mobile business to grow in step with total industry growth, which is now a low single-digit growth,” he noted.

Significantly, home broadband and corporate data were key drivers in Globe's 4 pecent revenue growth to P151.5 billion last year.

Total data revenues across mobile, broadband and corporate data accounted for 80 percent of total service revenues, up from 76 percent in the preceding year.