Globe Telecom launches ‘Super 3G’ service

As the first to bring HSDPA or "Super 3G" technology in Asia early this year, Globe Telecom has actively been raising the bar to bring the next generation in mobile broadband to its subscribers.

At a press briefing, Globe conducted the first public demonstration in the Philippines of the even faster "Super 3G" network through its mobile Internet product Visibility. The demonstrated peak speeds broke the two megabits per second (Mbps) barrier and surpassed the current HSDPA benchmark Internet browsing speeds of 1.4-1.8 Mbps currently enjoyed by Visibility subscribers since March 2006.

The company is upbeat about the value this technology brings to its subscribers, as it pursues the 3G business despite daunting risks, similar to when the company pioneered its SMS service in the Philippines nearly a decade ago.

"Globe is the first name in mobile innovation, definitely in the business of creating value for our subscribers," according to Blums Pineda III, vice president for wireless business planning and strategy. "This responsibility extends to our 3G business, which is why we have stayed ahead of the curve to offer relevant and meaningful innovations to our customers. To our knowledge, we have possibly enabled the Philippines to be the first to showcase this hyper-charged HSDPA or so called Super 3G at these peak speeds in the region, and continuing to drive our vision for a true mobile broadband experience for our customers."

Foundations for this proposition were laid early as Globe publicly demonstrated the HSDPA/Super 3G technology to international media at the South East Asian Games (SEA Games) last year.

A few months after the National Telecommunications Commisison awarded 3G licenses, the company’s selective vendor awarding allowed to leapfrog from basic 3G to HSDPA or "3.5G/Super 3G," while other telcos in the Asian region were only beginning to upgrade their 3G systems. Most HSDPA services were only commercially offered in Europe, with at least 70 other mobile providers worldwide in the testing or deployment stages of this revolutionary technology.

Since Globe introduced integrated 3G with HSDPA, Filipinos who subscribed to Globe did not have to wait for their 3G networks to be upgraded to HSDPA, or even the much faster version available as demonstrated. This sensitivity to ensure subscriber’s value for money brought down potential costs for future upgrades of the wireless technology.

To harness the value of HSDPA, Globe has ensured that hundreds of subscribers were among the first to enjoy HSDPA-powered mobile Internet browsing via HSDPA datacards since March this year. Today, we are seeing faster HSDPA devices are becoming available with HSDPA-capable handsets also in the pipeline.

The company is optimistic that their subscribers will be more than ready to reap the rewards and productivity gains of wire-free connectivity not only today. "Globe subscribers are already Super 3G-ready. They will be able to hit the ground running when the first HSDPA handsets and the faster HSDPA devices arrive in the country," Pineda said. "Our network is ready and willing to be the first to serve the future mobile broadband needs today."

Mobility and speed are the main differentiators of Globe’s HSDPA technology. Since HSDPA runs on cellular technology, subscribers since March could get on the Internet with data speeds of up to 1.8 Mbps anywhere there is signal. Unlike other Internet solutions, users didn’t have to hunt for a limited hotspot or be bogged down by cables since Globe’s entire 3.5G powered network all over the country has since been a giant hotspot.

"Globe’s HSDPA boosts and upgrades 3G’s functionalities by allowing faster download speeds and Internet browsing than the regular 3G," explained Pineda. Because HSDPA has a much wider bandwidth and higher transmission rates, users can also experience clearer connections while streaming video and faster Internet connections while on-the-move."

Comparing regular HSDPA since launch with other Internet access points, it hits speeds 25 times faster than an ordinary dial-up connection at 56 kbps and five to six times faster than basic 3G at 150-250kbps.At these speeds, subscribers can now download four MB music tracks in only 20 seconds, instead of waiting a minute and 44 seconds with basic 3G.

Adding another milestone in its innovation leadership, the company has now made Visibility publicly available via its key business centers and channels. This unlimited mobile broadband service now allows even more consumers to access the Internet through a range of flexible options with unparalleled speed and mobility.

Visibility’s mobile broadband technology lets subscribers customize their Internet browsing experiences with a wide array of wireless choices to connect to the web via unlimited Globe Mobile Broadband 3G with HSDPA, GPRS and EDGE, as well as Wi-Fi and dial-up. This service allows a more personal dimension to wire-free Internet access that moves around and follows users as go anywhere they choose through their preferred Internet connectivity option, essentially providing their own personal broadband connection to the web.

With any of these options, subscribers can turn their laptop into a true mobile office for the entrepreneurs and communities with access to the web at their fingertips.

"Practically anywhere you get your 3G signal is immediately an internet hotspot. Imagine if you can dial into your own personal broadband connection to websites like Yahoo, Google or Wikipedia or even rich media sites for research and information you need in places where you wouldn’t dream of being able to access the net," said Pineda. "Imagine if you could open your personal files ordinarily on your PC’s desktop at home, anywhere you are-be it in a restaurant on your lunch break or in your car on the way to work."

Since Sept. 10, Globe officials noted that subscribers have been signing-up for Globe Visibility and experiencing truly mobile Internet solutions through unlimited GPRS, EDGE, 3G and HSDPA and even Wi-Fi and dial-up connections. Now, through a datacard connected to one’s laptop, anywhere in the country with Globe coverage has become a perfect place to get online and be connected to those who matter, they said,

Any consumer, not just Globe subscribers, interested in unlimited mobile broadband may apply for Globe’s Visibility. Users receive a free browsing datacard together with a data SIM for a monthly service fee of P2,000 and a one-time application fee of P2,000.This initial promo price will only be available up to Oct. 10, 2006, officials said.