MANILA, Philippines – “Tita Kathy, how do you expect me to stay on top of my responsibilities at school and in my part-time job if I am not always connected,” asks Enrique Moran, my twentysomething nephew. “The cellphone is always there, but I need gadgets that I can attach to my handy laptop so I am connected whether I am at home, in school or anywhere else out there.”
Kids. Or so I used to think. No longer. Staying connected has caught up with me, too. Gone are the days when I used to believe that the cellphone would keep me in the loop. Now, I carry a Globe-connected BlackBerry, which is great for all my e-mail. And then there is my handy laptop and my postpaid Tattoo, which lets me check on my e-mail when I need to look at final pages at work.
When I get home, the broadband connection is there to let me download my fave songs or games and catch some videos on YouTube, too.
Get social
“Globe offers services that are already part and parcel of every Filipino’s life,” says Menchi Orlina, Globe consumer marketing group head. “From the time he wakes up to the time he goes to sleep.”
Orlina is quick to point out that Globe has indeed been on its toes and at the forefront of making sure that making the best connections to keep Filipinos connected, wherever they may be, is what keeps the company driven.
Yes, we all know that it was Globe that was the pioneer in texting — and that service became the benchmark of technological advancement.
“Staying connected has become like food, a staple for every Filipino,” adds Orlina. “In fact I have heard of instances where kids use their money to buy load, instead of snacks. It is awesome how the telecom services have really taken over the lives of the Filipino.”
Not one to let technology pass it by, Globe continues to be a step ahead when it comes to tech advances that make staying connected the best possible experience.
“We are a going a step beyond what the industry has already achieved,” says Orlina. “The time for broadband connections, whether wired or not, is where the future lies.”
Orlina likens Globe’s broadband to a gateway of information, a gateway to any kind of lifestyle that a person wants to pursue. This is why Globe is working on making broadband available to all echelons of society. But more importantly, Orlina says the service has to be made very affordable.
“What Globe does is to provide the Internet highway,” quips Orlina. “Broadband is the highway to the Internet.”
In an analogy, Orlina compares the broadband connections of Globe to access to various highways. She adds that what Globe is increasing is the number of highways and making these highways as wide as possible so there will be more people who can use them. To complete the analogy, Orlina says, “We make the toll in terms of access to the highways very affordable.”
There are different technologies that will support broadband. There is DSL, which is the wired service that everyone knows about. This is wired to your home and you need to be at home to use it.
And then there are other technologies like those which are wireless. This means that you don’t need to have a physical cable to connect from your desktop or laptop to the Internet. The wireless connectivity is 3G. And, for Globe, the third type of highway is WiMAX.
Let the connections begin
Globe gives its subscribers the power to live a full Internet-enabled life, as it provides them a suite of solutions that complements different types of lifestyles.
Globe has been expanding its wireless broadband network to accommodate the increasing demand for the Internet. This year, Globe has introduced Globe Broadband Tattoo and Globe Broadband Powered by WiMAX (Worldwide interoperability for Micro-wave Access). This month, the company is launching hyper-speed plans via cutting-edge fiber-to-the-home technology.
Globe recently introduced three new Tattoo USB modem designs to choose from, allowing customers to connect anywhere, with a stylish USB that reflects their hip and trendy lifestyle.
With Globe Broadband Tattoo, users can experience speeds of up to 2Mbps, delivered via 3G and High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), making activities like social networking, chatting, blogging, e-mailing, casual gaming, and streaming music and movies much more enjoyable yet still affordable.
The Globe Broadband Tattoo Prepaid Kit comes with an initial five hours of free Internet time (prepaid load of P100). Additional time is very affordable at only P5 per 15 minutes on the Internet. Now subscribers can be online anytime, anywhere with Globe Broadband Tattoo.
And then some more
For progressive family builders who want to provide their family members — their children, spouses and themselves — all the opportunities that life and the Internet has to offer, yet who could not because they live in areas that previously had few or no options for Internet access, Globe has rolled out Globe Broadband Powered by WiMAX.
The WiMAX-based plans provide good value for money with unlimited Internet access ideal for households with frequent daily usage. With a speed of up to 512Kbps for only P795 per month, the entry plan is 33 percent faster and 25 percent more affordable than any other entry-level postpaid plans in the market. Because Globe is very confident in the connection quality it provides, the package comes with an aggressive money-back guarantee, allowing any subscriber to terminate his account with no termination fees should he be unhappy with the connection.
WiMAX is a technology designed to enable the deployment of wireless broadband access as a cost-efficient alternative to cable and DSL. WiMAX also has improved reach and can cover distances greater than those covered by other wireless technologies like Wi-Fi, CDMA, or 3G. Globe’s network is considered the first and biggest 2.5Ghz WiMAX (802.16e) broadband network in Southeast Asia.
The service is initially available in selected areas in South Luzon, NCR, the Visayas, and Mindanao. Globe continues to roll out WiMAX sites to complement its existing DSL and 3G Internet facilities to ensure that Internet gets to every Filipino who needs it.
Better by the bundle
In support of the company’s vision to provide Internet access to every Filipino home, Globe is also offering PC bundling packages with downpayments as low as P999 starting June 12 in selected areas in South Luzon. The PC and Internet bundle comes in three plans: the Student plan, the Busy Bee plan, and the Techie plan.
The Student plan is ideal for households with school-aged children who need a PC and an Internet connection for research and other basic Internet use such as social networking, surfing, e-mail, chat and even casual games. The users make a small down payment of only P999, and a low monthly fee of only P1,472 per month for a bundled WiMAX connection and PC.
The Busy Bee plan is ideal for busy folks who regularly use the Internet and who need to take their work with them. Users pay a small downpayment of P999, then pay a small monthly fee of P1,751 for a WiMAX connection and a netbook. The Busy bee has the option to buy a prepaid Globe Broadband Tattoo separately for only P1,895 for a truly mobile working experience.
The Techie plan is ideal for users who require a more powerful device to go with their high-speed Internet connection. For a downpayment of only P1,499 and a monthly fee of only P2,029, users get a WiMAX connection and a Neo laptop.
Really fast
Globe launched its newest and fastest plans that are ideal for people who run multiple Internet applications at the same time and who want the fastest available connection. Globe delivers this via fiber to the home. With speeds of up to 100Mbps, this is the fastest Internet connection in the Philippines.
The entry plan is a hyper speed of 10Mbps, which comes at a very affordable monthly fee of only P3,995 per month. This comes with a landline as well as a Wi-Fi router, which allows a user to easily and wirelessly share his fast connection with others at home.
“This is Globe’s way of growing our brand,” says Orlina. “We want to provide every Filipino with a choice as to what products and which plans to avail of. We want to be able to best serve our growing number of customers and their ever-changing needs. Globe wants to be at the forefront of the changes that our customers look for and that has always been part of the Globe lifestyle.”