Globe brings back unlimited internet at home with no strings attached

The first ever unlimited plans with no-lock up, no data cap, and no throttling.

Globe Telecom heard the clamor of its customers and has braought back an upgraded version of its unlimited internet plans through Go Unli. Go Unli is the ultimate unlimited data offering that allows customers to stream video, play music and games without having to worry about lock-up period, data capping, and speed throttling. Go Unli works for all legal sites to make sure that Globe and its customers participate in making the internet safe for everyone.


Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO; Martha Sazon, SVP for Globe At Home; Dipashree Das, Netflix Partner Marketing Manager for India and SEA; Albert De Larrazabal, Globe Chief Commercial Officer; Barbie Dapul, VP for Marketing, Globe At Home; Winsley Bangit, VP for Globe At Home Prepaid Business; Chesca Ambrosio, Globe Content Business Group, SVOD Head; Jil Go, Globe VP for Portfolio and Partner Management, Content Business Group.


Globe executives together with its newest partner Viu. From L-R: Winsley Bangit, VP for Globe At Home Prepaid Business; Erin Chau, Business Development Digital Media PCCW; Arianne Kader-Cu, VIU PH Country Manager; Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO; Helen Sou, SVP Digital Media PCCW; Albert De Larrazabal, Globe Chief Commercial Officer; Barbie Dapul, VP for Marketing, Globe At Home; Chesca Ambrosio, Globe Content Business Group, SVOD Head; Jil Go, Globe VP for Portfolio and Partner Management, Content Business Group; Beverly Robles, Head of Content and Device, Globe At Home Marketing; Binky Piedad, Globe Content Business, SVOD Manager



Globe officers with one of its biggest global partner Neflix. From L-R: Barbie Dapul, VP for Marketing, Globe At Home; Chesca Ambrosio, Globe Content Business Group, SVOD Head; Albert De Larrazabal, Globe Chief Commercial Officer; Martha Sazon, SVP for Globe At Home; Dipashree Das, Netflix Partner Marketing Manager for India and SEA; Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO; Gerry Soler, Globe Content Business, Head of Content Integration

  “We want all customers to enjoy a superior internet experience. This is the reason why we spend billions of pesos every year to improve our network and expand internet connectivity in the country,” said Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu.

Cu said that the Globe #PlayItRight advocacy plays an important role in eliminating illegal sites out of its network. In 2017, nearly 2,500 illegal sites that hosted child pornography were blocked by the company through the #PlayItRight program. “Our efforts to protect our network against illegal sites will continue so we can give our customers the best internet service they deserve. You can expect us to put up an even stronger fight against illegal content this year,”said Cu.

Go Unli wired plans start at P1,699 a month, which come with unlimited surfing and streaming up to 5Mbps. Faster speeds are also available with the following plans: Plan 1899 for speeds up to 10, 15 or 20Mbps, Plan 2499 for speeds up to 50Mbps, and Plan 2899 for speeds up to 100 Mbps.

To avail of the no-lock up offer, interested parties need only pay for a one-time modem fee of P2,500 or P4,500 depending on the chosen plan. Those who choose to discontinue their subscription within the first 15 days will get a 100% refund of their modem fee upon the return of the modem and telephone set provided during installation. For those looking for an option without modem fees, 24-month contract plans are also available. All plans come with free landline with unlimited calls to Globe and TM for 24 months, six months access to Netflix and Disney Channel Apps, and two months access to HOOQ.

Globe is bringing in more content partners, with VIU and FOX+ now joining its extensive roster of content providers giving Globe customers access to a wide library of premium shows. VIU delivers the latest Korean entertainment, and FOX+ provides an unrivalled combination of TV, blockbuster movies, sports and documentaries. Starting April 15, 2018, Globe At Home Postpaid Plans will come with 6-month access to FOX+. Meanwhile, Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi devices will come with free 3-month access to VIU starting April 30, 2018.

Globe has also introduced innovations such as the Globe At Home App and Globe Tech Squad to improve overall customer experience. The Globe At Home App allows customers to easily manage their account, track their data usage, and add more data for applicable plans and promos. Meanwhile, the Globe Tech Squad is a special tech service team that provides end-to-end support for WiFi connectivity and home related needs.

New customers can apply for the new Globe at Home plans online, in Globe Stores, at booth activations and through accredited Globe sales personnel. Existing subscribers can download the Globe At Home app to check if they are eligible to upgrade. Promo period is from January 8 to June 30, 2018.

For more information on the new unlimited plans, visit the website at http://www.globe.com.ph/help/globeathome-gounliplans, call the Globe hotline at 730-1010, or visit any Globe Store.

Globe myBusiness showcases world class digital solutions for tech-ready schools at EduTech 2018

Globe myBusiness is harnessing innovation to provide Filipino students with world-class learning solutions in line with Globe Telecom’s vision to transform and empower schools with the latest technology.

At the upcoming EduTech 2018 forum to be held on February 21 to 22, 2018 at the SMX Convention Center, Globe myBusiness will be presenting its line up of digital solutions that will allow educational institutions to be future-ready and prepare students and teachers for digital transformation.

EduTech 2018, will gather over 1,400 education and technology leaders as well as business, technology and library managers. There will also be 80 speakers and 30 exhibitors at the forum led by representatives from key government agencies such as Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Educational Skills Training Administration and National Economic Development Authority, Teachers’ Association and Unions and Examination Boards and Bodies.

As Head for Small and Medium Business Group Derrick Heng says, “integrating digital solutions to today’s learning methods greatly empowers our students and teachers. These solutions make us at par with our neighboring countries and at the same time opens up more opportunities for our students to broaden their knowledge.”

At EduTech 2018, some of the products that Globe myBusiness will be showcasing are Business-Grade Connectivity for campus-wide WIFI requirements; School Management System portfolio to automate school administrative processes; and the Learning Management System that will allow students and teachers to collaborate on a single platform effectively and efficiently.

Select Globe executives will also be participating as key speakers during the event, touching on different topics that would provide participating institutions valuable insights and trends on the Education industry. Among them are Grace Anduiza to talk about the importance of making the right IT Investments with Building Blocks of Digital Transformation: Future-Ready Infrastructure; Apol Salud on Cloud & Security Trends and how it is transforming the infrastructure needs of schools; Mitsch Tapia on Change Management: Rationalizing IT Expenses as a Wise Investment; Arlynn Ronquillo with the topic: Empowering your IT Infrastructure; and finally Heng with Be Future-Ready with Globe myBusiness.

Likewise, Globe partners Rogelio B. Dela Cruz, Jr. and Melissa Espiritu will talk about Adapting Technology: A Consensus Between Involved Stakeholders; and The “Super Classroom”, Connecting Young Global Citizens Who Want to Save the World, respectively.

To learn more about EduTech 2018 visit their official Facebook page www.facebook.com/edutech.philippines. To know more about Globe myBusiness and its portfolio of products and services, visit https://mybusiness.globe.com.ph/solutions/.

Valentine's Day at The Mansion

Valentine's Day is coming up! It's one of the most anticipated day of the year. People all around the world look forward to celebrating this special day with their partners or loved ones. And here in Iloilo City, the City of Love there are many choices to choose from for that perfect venue this occasion. If you don't have any plans yet, make this Valentine's your most memorable ever, yet.

• The Mansion

You don't have to go far to celebrate this day in a way you'll never forget. For only, P799.00 per person, you can bring your loved one/s to The Mansion's A Romantic Affiar at the Lobby.

Contact 033-3351021 or e-mail sales@themansion.ph

But wait, there's more good news! Scroll down and get to know the mechanics for you to win free buffet dinner passes on the 14th.

Grab this opportunity to win buffet passes

TO QUALIFY:

1) Like The Mansion's FB Page

2) Share this post and tag 3 friends

3) Use the hashtag #SayILYAtTheMansion

Participants, PLEASE NOTE: Your Facebook profile needs to be set to PUBLIC in order for them to verify your shared post & tags. The lucky winner will be announced here on Feb 13, 2018 at 4pm and will be contacted via Facebook. www.themansion.ph

• Days Hotel

Get a chance to win an overnight stay for 2 at Days Hotel Iloilo and spa gift certificates at Wellness Club Spa. For inquiries and reservations, call ‎‎(033) 3373297.

Globe in talks with 3rd parties for creation of independent tower company

Manila, Feb 8, 2018-- Globe Telecom announced today that it has initiated discussions with independent third parties for the establishment of a tower company to help speed up the build and deployment of cellular towers in the Philippines. Globe is looking at divesting all or part of its tower assets to independent tower companies as part of its network expansion and optimization plan. To date, Globe has over 8,000 cell towers nationwide.

Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu said, "We have been allocating over 30% of our total revenues to capital expenditure for the past five years and this level will be sustained over a period of time. An independent tower company will be a win-win solution. It will monetize assets for capex use and help maintain our consistent dividend policy. In addition, this greatly helps President Duterte’s initiative to open the telco industry to new players. The plan is for these towers to be open for lease to new and existing players. This effectively lessens the barriers that a new entrant has to endure because they will not have to spend the capex to build towers and instead focus on rolling out the necessary network equipment. This significantly reduces the time needed for a new player to rollout given the 25 permits and up to 8 months required to build one cell tower. Our move is also consistent with our position of being open to more competition in the telecommunications industry."

The tower companies generally want multiple operators to locate in these towers. This effectively reduces the cost for all locators and increases the return for the tower company. Globe will work with them in determining the appropriate locations for all prospective towers.

Even with this bold move, Globe sees rough times ahead to improve services and keep up with the rapid data consumption growth of its customers. “We hope to continue working with the government to reduce the red tape that is currently being encountered in the permitting and right of way process. The only reason we are able to keep up with the demand for wireless data is because of the ultra-high capacity nature of our sites," said Cu.

For years, Globe has been ramping up its capital spend from P26.8 billion in 2012 to P36.7 Billion in 2016 and P42.5 billion in 2017. The company recently disclosed its capital spend of P43.5 billion for 2018. Globe has been averaging 31% annually of capex spending to total revenues.

"We are one with our customers who want to see further development of the telco industry in the country. We have been helping the nation in providing opportunities for more Filipinos by providing them with connectivity and access to the internet, enabling industries like BPO to flourish, creating connected cities in the rural areas, initiating financial inclusion with e-payments and e-commerce, and enhancing the digital lifestyles of our customers through world class content and product offers. The sustained high capital spending year on year creates a ripple effect on the whole ecosystem through more jobs and better opportunities down to the sari-sari store level,” said Cu.

 The Philippines has one of the lowest tower densities in the world, with under 20,000 towers serving a population of 100 million people. In contrast, Vietnam, with a population of 90 million, has 70,000 towers for its telecommunications needs. Bangladesh and Pakistan has more towers than the Philippines with over 30,000 each. Approximately, 50,000 more towers will need to be built in the future to optimize network deployment. The lack of towers has been identified as a constraint to mobile internet connectivity. 

International Finance recognizes Globe effortsto improve PH Internet with Best Telecom Service Provider of the Year

 

The International Finance Magazine has recognized Globe Telecom for its contribution in the development of the telecom industry in the Philippines by naming the company the Best Telecom Service Provider for 2017 against other global telco operators.

Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO, said the recognition has strengthened his resolve to continue innovating on products, make services more relevant, and actively participate

in building the nation's ICT infrastructure. “Evolving the telco business to give more opportunities to as many Filipinos as possible using our technology will make our brand stronger than ever,” Cu said.

The International Finance Magazine recognizes and honors organizations and individuals in the international finance industry that make a significant difference heralding the highest standards of innovation and performance.

Cu said that the efforts of Globe allowed the Philippines to be recognized as a key market by global brands such as Disney, Netflix, YouTube, Facebook, Google, Fox, Tribe, NBA, Spotify, and Ant Financial among others.

Recently, Cu was selected among global leaders and opinion makers to share his insights in the documentary released in February 2018 about the new Netflix original film Altered Carbon.

Globe allocates around $850 million annually to improve its mobile and home broadband services to accommodate the growing demand for of its customers. With more than 60 million Filipinos using the internet and social media, majority of the mobile data traffic in the country is being served by Globe, now at 600 petabytes.

Ookla Speedtest Index results released in January 2018 showed that mobile download speed in the Philippines improved by 34% from last year, now at 12.55 Mbps, while fixed broadband download speed leaped by 54%, now at 15.67 Mbps.

Frost and Sullivan Asia Pacific ICT acknowledged Globe in 2017 as the Fixed Broadband Service Provider of the Year, Philippines Telecom Service Provider of the Year, Philippines Mobile Service Provider of the Year, and Philippines Fixed Broadband Service Provider of the Year.  

Cu was also named CEO of the Year three times in 2017 by Asia Communications Awards, Finance Asia, Frost and Sullivan.

PUPPY LOVE AND LUCK AT SM ACCESSORIES KIDS AND TOY KINGDOM

There’s a lot of puppy love and luck as SM Accessories Kids and Toy Kingdom celebrate Chinese New Year with lovable and adorable plushies for kids of all ages.

Like children born in the Year of the Dog, these plush toys are cheerful, obliging, and a good sport. The Dog, after all, is said to be the most likeable sign in the Chinese Zodiac.

And kids born in the Year of the Dog are said to be honest, intelligent, egalitarian, and super-loyal. These children are playful, friendly, and outgoing, appreciated by peers and adults alike for their warmth, candidness, and sense of humor. A dog is a very good and supportive friend to have indeed. When the chips are down, the Dog will always be at your side.

Bring home hugs, joy and charm with these adorable little dogs - ranging from huskies to beagles - available at the SM Accessories Kids department of The SM Store.

Toy Kingdom, on the other hand, can also fill your homes with good luck with its adorable dog plush toys inspired by Paw Patrol’s well-loved characters Skye, Marshall and Chase, that you can hug and play with all day. There are also cute miniature dog plush toys dressed in birthday, sailor and baseball costumes.

Feel the luck this New Year with these little Pomeranian dog plushies dressed in birthday, sailor
and baseball costumes. Available in selected Toy Kingdom stores nationwide.

 



Feel the luck this New Year with these little Pomeranian dog plushies dressed in birthday, sailor
and baseball costumes. Available in selected Toy Kingdom stores nationwide.

 



There are lots of adorable dog plush toys to choose from SM Accessories Kids at The SM Store.

Husky plush toy and his equally cute buddy from SM Accessories Kids.

There’s a lot of puppy love and luck in welcoming the Year of the Dog with SM Accessories Kids

This Beagle will have tons of playtime fun time with his puppy pal and kids.

SM Accessories Kids dog plush toys make great play-mates for the Lunar New Year.

These are all available at The SM Store and Toy Kingdom.

So Scent-sational at Miniso!

Let your loved ones feel special this Valentine’s season with gifts of love, fragrance, and
beauty from Japanese fast fashion brand Miniso.

Express your love in Valentine cards in classy and lovely designs available at the
Stationery section.

 

 THE MINISO BEAUTY COLLECTION: shimmery eyeshadows, pink blushers,
waterproof eyeliners, automatic eyebrow liners, high definition lipsticks as well as sweet
and stylish perfume scents.

 Miniso’s Flipped Perfume combines bergamot, apple, black currant and pear for a fresh,
fruity and elegant fragrance.

 Everyday Essentials from Miniso. Keep your things – like bath essentials, socks, and
underwear - organized with this environmental friendly and multipurpose storage box.

 Scent of a woman. Miniso’s Perfect Love Perfume’s lasting, feminine and exquisite
scent is perfect for everyday use.

 Scent of a woman. Miniso’s Perfect Love Perfume’s lasting, feminine and exquisite
scent is perfect for everyday use.

 The Rose Exfoliating Bath Salt is enriched with rose essence, which exfoliates and
leaves the skin supple, clean and moisturized. Available at Miniso.

Made from jojoba seed oil, the rosa damascena flower oil and olive fruit oil, the Rose
Hydrating Essence Oil soothes and replenish dry and dull skin for a soft and hydrated
skin feels. 

Miniso’s Rose Green Tea perfume has a sweet and refreshing scent for an all-day use.
Available at Miniso. 

 Express your love with heartwarming personal notes written in Miniso’s Valentine cards
in various designs and prints.

 

There are also scent-sational fragrances that draw inspiration from Perfect Love,
Romantic Sakura, and Crystal Diamonds; as well as natural essence oils derived from jojoba
seed oil and the rosa damascene flower oil, as well as bath salts made from rose essence.
Give yourself a romantic new look with Miniso’s beauty collection: various shades and
colors of foundations, shimmery eyeshadows, luminous blushers, high definition lipsticks and
eyebrow liners perfect for a date night.

Spread the love with Miniso located in most SM Supermalls. Also, follow @MinisoPhilippines at Facebook for more gift ideas and updates.

Globe spearheads clean-up after successful Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo

Since the inception of the religious and cultural Dinagyang Festival in 1967, Iloilo hosts an annual celebration that includes a fluvial procession, street dancing, the Kasadyahan Cultural Parade, and the Dinagyang Ati Competition. According to estimates, this year’s Dinagyang drew in at least 50,000 spectators who watched the competition alone.

Globe and Headrush volunteers collect confetti, bottles, cups, and other trash left behind after the party.

Volunteers finishing up the clean-up drive.

The Love Dance area after the clean-up activity

In an effort to contribute to the cleanliness and maintenance of the various festival venues around the city, Globe led a clean-up activity to collect trash left after the party as part of its #GlobeDinagyang 2018 lineup of events.

 

The clean-up was held the day after Love Dance, a party organized by Globe in partnership with Headrush. Love Dance was attended by over 3,500 people who saw some of Manila’s best DJs including Mars Miranda, Carlo Atendido, and Deltrastreet, among others.

Volunteers from Globe and Headrush collected 28 bags worth of trash that were left during the wake of the event.

“Globe is committed to creating next-level digital experiences for our customers through our events, but we are also committed to ensuring that the event venues we use are taken care of through clean up drives. We are also glad and thankful for the volunteers who helped us gather more waste and clean the different areas," shared Yoly Crisanto, Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications.

 

In the past, Globe has organized various environmental activities as part of its initiatives on sustainability and responsible partying. Since 2012, Globe has launched programs in Boracay on marine life protection, offshore clean-up training, support for conservation efforts by local stakeholders, and raising environmental awareness among the youth and local residents.

 

To learn more about the program, visit www.globe.com.ph.

5 Reasons Why You Should #PlayItRight

 

When it comes to movie-watching, many Filipinos prefer to illegally download or stream online rather than watch from legitimate sources like cinemas and recognized streaming platforms. It may be free, but what they don’t know is that aside from harming the entertainment industry, they’re also harming themselves.

To educate viewers on the dangers of illegal content consumption, Globe launched #PlayItRight, an advocacy campaign to encourage its customers and the public to play content from legal sources and protect the copyright of its global content partners, while ensuring that its network, products and services are not used in illegal activities.

“Every movie, series, and other forms of content downloaded from non-legitimate sources exposes the viewer to dangers they may not know about,” says Yoly Crisanto, senior vice president for Corporate Communications of Globe. “To protect our customers, our partners and our network from illegal activity and the dangers that come with it, Globe is offering affordable access to world-class and high quality content from Disney, HOOQ, Cartoon Network, Tribe, and YouTube, and even bundle them with our services for free for new customers” added Crisanto.  

Why should you #PlayItRight? Here are five important reasons:

1. Avoid identity theft

Accessing content through illegal means exposes viewers to identity theft. Many websites will ask viewers to download a file containing a video player, which is accompanied by, or completely replaced with dangerous malware that can steal private information like passwords, bank account numbers, and credit card numbers.

 

2. Protect yourself against malware and viruses on your devices

Apart from information-stealing malware, illegally downloaded content may expose the viewer to viruses that may be accompanied by the video file. These viruses can lead to loss of data, slow internet connection, and unwarranted pop-up windows. Sometimes an antivirus software is not enough to combat these viruses.

 

3. Don’t do it unless you want to go to jail

Many people have said that there’s nothing wrong with downloading and accessing pirated content since it’s easily accessible online, but under Republic Act 8293 (Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines) and Republic Act 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012), viewers who are caught participating in online piracy will have to pay a hefty fine and get jail time. House Bill 6187 (Anti-Online Piracy Act) is currently being reviewed to implement stricter measures for illegally-consumed content.

 

Further belief in this misconception also exposes internet users to the dangers of illegal sites, including those that host child pornography. Globe is adapting global best practices applied in Singapore and other countries where there is active regulation towards illegal sites and child pornography, and strongly supports the Republic Act 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009. In 2017 alone, Globe has blocked close to 2,500 websites containing lewd content and child pornography.

4. Respect content creators

Hundreds of cast and crew members take thousands of hours to create one movie that they hope to make a profit on. For example, the Metro Manila Film Festival entry All Of You starring Derek Ramsey and Jennylyn Mercado took 78,000 hours to produce by 130 cast and crew. Illegal content consumption disrespects the money, hard work, and effort put into making it, especially to the crew whose only source of income is in film production.

5. Support the film industry

By watching content illegally, viewers are depriving members of the film industry from earning what is rightfully theirs. Everyone in the industry earns from ticket sales, film distribution, and royalties, and watching films from illegitimate sources lowers revenues, which could mean that studios and independent filmmakers will create less films.

To make sure that you are protected from the dangers of online piracy, make sure to #PlayItRight. Watch your favorite and the latest movies and TV shows only in theaters and on recognized streaming platforms.

Megaworld to open P2.2B Festive Walk Mall in Iloilo Business Park this year

Festive Walk Mall is Megaworld’s first and biggest full-scale mall outside Luzon

 

 

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Megaworld, the country’s largest developer of integrated urban townships, is opening the P2.2-billion Festive Walk Mall in Iloilo Business Park this April.

 

Covering 90,000 square meters in gross floor area, Festive Walk Mall will have a main mall connected to a mall annex that will also be linked to the 1.1-kilometer Festive Walk Parade via elevated walkways and bridges.

 

Festive Walk Mall will have three levels of world-class shopping, dining, entertainment, leisure and wellness offerings. It will be anchored by its own supermarket, department store, home essentials store, toy store and a food hall.

 

The mall will also have seven state-of-the-art cinemas, which include Dolby Atmos cinemas that offer complete surround sound technology.

 

Another highlight of the mall will be The Deck at the 3rd level, which features an open space with lush gardens and greeneries, a chapel and a dog park. An interactive dancing fountain will also greet mallgoers at the main entrance.

 

Megaworld’s first full-scale lifestyle mall in the Visayas will also have three main activity and event centers: the indoor atrium, the outdoor covered event area and the outdoor open-air activity center. A children’s playground will also be located at the mall’s ground level.

 

“We are excited to bring our lifestyle mall concept to Iloilo – our first outside of Luzon. This full-scale mall will further expand our offerings in Iloilo Business Park as it matures as a township. The mall will also be able to generate around 3,500 jobs in retail, food, transport and mall operations,” says Kevin L. Tan, senior vice president and head of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls.

 

The Festive Walk Mall Annex will house some government offices as well as medical and wellness facilities.

 

 

More than 1,000 parking slots will also be made available for mall patrons and visitors.

 

“Our idea is to seamlessly connect the main mall, the annex, Festive Walk Parade and the multi-level parking facility so that everything will be walkable,” explains Tan.

Festive Walk Mall will also have its own transport hub that can accommodate buses, jeepneys and taxis.

 

Designed with modern aesthetics that strongly evoke the country’s tropical influence, the mall will have some green and sustainable design features that include day-lighting and sun-shading facilities and fresh indoor greeneries.

 

Megaworld’s 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park is Iloilo City’s rising central business district that is home to two of the city’s first-class hotels, Richmonde Hotel Iloilo and the soon-to-open Marriott Courtyard; state-of-the-art BPO office towers; residential condominium towers and an expansive commercial and finance district. 

 

Globe, Facebook, DepEd collaborate to promote responsible digital citizenship in schools nationwide

“Digital Discernment” workshop launched to coincide with Safer Internet Day

 

         

Globe Telecom, Facebook and Department of Education launched a partnership to promote responsible digital citizenship in the country. Globe President & CEO Ernest Cu (center) led the program launch. Cu is joined by from left, Globe Senior Vice President Nikko Acosta, DQ representative Galvin Ngo, Facebook Head of Community Affairs in Asia Pacific Clair Deevy and DepEd Undersecretary Tonisito Umali.

 

Globe Telecom, Facebook and the Department of Education (DepEd) again joined hands to continue promoting responsible digital citizenship among teachers and students in public and private schools across the country under the “Digital Thumbprint Program” or DTP.

 

As of end 2017, there are now more than 60 million internet users in the country, 52.2 million of which—or roughly 50% of the country’s population—are mobile internet users who spend about 3.36 hours using the internet daily. Data from a Philippine National Police (PNP) report also bared that half of internet users are adolescents aged 17 years old and below.

 

Related to this, the DQ Institute, an international think-tank formed in association with the World Economic Forum, revealed in its inaugural 2018 DQ Global Impact Report that 56 percent of kids 8 to 12 years old worldwide who go online are exposed to a variety of cyber risks. Referring to a study of the Philippine internet situation, the same report said 73 percent of children in the same age bracket are exposed to cyber risks, the second highest in a study among 29 countries. 

 

The report cited exposure to cyberbullying, video game addiction, online grooming, online sexual behavior, and digital misinformation are as prevailing cyber risks in the Philippines. As online usage increases in the country, so does the level of risks for users whenever they are online, which calls for more protection by advocating responsible digital citizenship, including critical thinking when online, plus protection against piracy and abuse.

 

Given this, Globe Telecom and Facebook, in collaboration with DepEd, launched a workshop entitled “Digital Discernment.” The workshop contains topics that teach online users how to think critically online, and effectively identify credible information from questionable information.  Content includes practical tips on how to verify and examine online sources of on and  identify facts from opinions.

 

“Collaborating with Facebook and DepEd to enhance our DTP is important to make sure we are putting in the right intervention to address responsible usage of the internet. By the first quarter of this year, we will determine the social impact of this program to students from Grade 7 to 12,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications.

 

 

“Digital literacy is critical to building informed and meaningful communities. Working with partners like Globe we hope to give people in the Philippines the skills and resources they need to help contribute to a positive online experience,” said Clair Deevy, Head of Community Affairs, Facebook Asia-Pacific.

 

“From an early age, our children are able to access social media through personal mobile phones. Before they start actively engaging in social media or owing their mobile phone, we need to empower our children with digital citizenship skills to mitigate cyber-risks and maximize the opportunity of technology,” said Dr Yuhyun Park, Founder of the DQ Institute.

 

"The internet, undeniably, plays a very large role in the lives of our youth and students today to the extent that it seems impossible to restrain them from internet usage. What we can do about this is to teach them how to use it properly. It is our Department's responsibility to educate them to wisely use the internet because this is exactly how we produce individuals who are responsible and critical enough to know the perfect time and way to consult the internet. This is how we raise well-informed and insightful citizens," DepEd Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs, External Partnerships, and School Sports, Tonisito M.C. Umali, Esq. explained.

 

The workshop also educates how online community can correctly recognize when information is intended as a joke, done satirically or intentionally crafted as false. Most importantly, Digital Discernment includes empathy as a key value to express online with the aim of not just creating a safer and informed community but one that embraces perspectives and respects differences of opinion.

 

The pilot “Digital Discernment” workshop was held February 6, 2018, coinciding with the observance of “Safer Internet Day” in the Philippines. One-hundred (100) public high school students from Metro Manila converged at the Mind Museum in Taguig City to participate in the first of many rollouts of the workshop to be held in various areas across the country. The Digital Discernment workshop also supports Globe Telecom’s #makeITsafePH campaign on cybersecurity and cyber wellness.

 

Launched in 2016 by Globe, DTP first comprised of three workshop modules: Digital Insight (for Grade 7 to 10 students), where participants are taught to help discern proper online behavior; Digital Impact (also for Grade 7 to 10 students) wherein issues on technology’s impact on students’ social activities are tackled; and Digital Ambition (for Grade 11 to 12 students), which equips students with skills on how to use technology to help them achieve their life goals.

 

At present, DTP has already reached more than 17,000 public and private high-school students in the country, with more than 1,800 facilitators already empowered to teach the program. In a latest impact assessment done by the Karrikins Group, it showed that 94.4% of the participants found the DTP relevant while 93.7% said it helped them build confidence in their online activities. Teachers also said their students displayed a high level of engagement in the sessions.

 

For schools and other organizations that would like to avail and schedule facilitation of the free workshops, emailbridgecom@globe.com.ph. Workshops also include a trainers’ program to equip aspiring facilitators to hold the workshops independently.

GLOBE: Tighter rules on VAS to increase customer protection

                Globe Telecom is enforcing tighter rules to protect its customers against unscrupulous practices of some third-party value-added service (VAS) providers resulting in prepaid load deduction which customers often mistake as “nakaw load.”

                Unknown load deductions happen when customers click on an online advertisement link or button of VAS providers.  As a rule, customers should get a verification code via SMS on how to opt-in as well as another SMS for successful subscription and cancellation instructions.  However, there are instances when partners circumvent the rule, thus, automatically enrolling the customers without consent.  This in effect happened to a prepaid customer who complained online about load decrementation from a VAS provider, GotDeals Mobile, Inc.

                GotDeals Mobile, Inc., issued a public apology after a customer complained in social media about alleged load theft.

                In reference to a Facebook post of a subscriber complaining about loss of load due to 3rd party transactions, we at Gotdeals Mobile, Inc. are taking full responsibility for the inconvenience that the customer experienced due to issues encountered in our servers.  We sincerely apologize to Globe Telecom and their customer for the damage that this may have caused them. We have rectified the issue to ensure that it will not happen again.

                Globe General Counsel Atty. Froilan Castelo said, "We want to assure our customers that we have clauses in our contracts with partner content providers which penalize those who resort to fraud.  We are also implementing stricter opt-in guidelines to make our customers aware that they are signing up for VAS subscription which entails charges."

Globe also reminds  customers that upon receipt of any push text message with an access code, they can text HELP to the access code number to verify service status, then text STOP to discontinue the service if they want to.

To further protect its customers, Globe also has a prepaid load notification service called Load Watch to help prepaid mobile customers get real time balance and updates on usage of their load.  With this service, customers have better control of their load should there be unwarranted deductions.  

             Globe encourages customers to report unwarranted load deductions on VAS services so these incidents can be investigated and properly addressed.  Castelo said, "We will not hesitate to impose sanctions against those vendors or partners who are found guilty."

               Please reach out to  @talk2globe via Twitter, Globe Telecom official Facebook page, and customer hotlines 211 (mobile) and 730-1000 (landline).  

Globe rolls out more than 1M broadband lines ahead of schedule

Enabling more and more customers to enjoy video-streaming content

 

Globe Telecom deployed over the last two years more than 1 million new broadband lines, enabling more customers to enjoy video-streaming content.  

 

This places the telecommunications provider at half point of its goal of rolling out 2 million new broadband lines by 2020 in line with its commitment of creating an internet superhighway.  On top of expanding coverage and enhancing capacities for mobile, Globe is also determined on developing its wired broadband coverage in a bid to enhance customers’ quality of experience.  

 

In terms of wired broadband facilities, Globe was able to deploy fiber broadband in 12 cities in Metro Manila as well as in 19 provinces nationwide. Majority of the company’s fiber build are located in Quezon City, Sta. Rosa and Calamba in Laguna as well as in Cebu and Davao.

 

Globe continues to deploy VDSL and now includes 16 cities in Metro Manila and in 18 areas that include Bulacan, Cavite, Baguio, Cavite, Cebu and Davao City. VDSL technology provides high-speed Broadband service up to 200 Mbps using existing copper footprint.    

 

Joel Agustin, Globe Senior Vice President for Program Governance, Network Technical Group, said total deployment using various broadband technologies reached more than 1 million lines since 2016. The company’s bid to deploy 2 million broadband lines by 2020 is expected to redefine home broadband experience for Filipinos amid growing customer demand for bandwidth-intensive multimedia content.

 

According to Agustin, the company’s deployment of massive MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) technology has also been working to accelerate the company’s bid to roll out 2 million home broadband lines, with speeds of at least 10 Mbps by 2020. “The goal is to provide for the growing data service needs of our customers and the company will continue to aggressively roll out broadband lines using latest available technologies such as the massive MIMO,” he said.

 

Massive MIMO technology enables a mobile network to multiply the capacity of a wireless connection without requiring more antennas. The technology thus increases wireless throughput, accommodating more users at higher data rates with better reliability while consuming less power. In the case of home broadband, speed and range benefits of MIMO technology allow customers to have reliable data connection especially since more and more customers are now using video streaming services.

 

Globe began early 2017 the commercial deployment of massive MIMO to enhance mobile internet connectivity experience of customers in high-density areas. The commercial deployment of the MIMO technology forms part of the company’s efforts to further improve mobile and wireless broadband internet experience of its customers by expanding on its network coverage and capacities.