Globe expands 5G roaming services to Netherlands, Bahrain, New Zealand

Ayala-led Globe Telecom Inc. on Thursday said it has expanded its 5G roaming footprint to the Netherlands, Bahrain, and New Zealand.

In a statement, Globe said the expansion of its 5G roaming services to the three countries forms part of its continuing efforts to explore more partnerships in Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific amid the gradual economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The telco said the latest additions cement Globe’s dominance in the 5G space as it is now present in 43 5G roaming-ready countries.

Last month, Globe said it included Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, and France in its list of roaming partners.

“While we strive to increase Globe’s 5G presence in the Philippines, we are also working hard to widen our footprint for 5G roaming,” said Coco Domingo, Globe vice president for postpaid and international business.

“As more smart cities emerge worldwide, we want our customers to experience new ways to connect and engage as they travel. Expect Globe to accelerate its 5G builds abroad as we gear up for travel’s full recovery."

Globe said its customers will enjoy 5G roaming when they connect via Zain in Bahrain, Vodafone in New Zealand, and KPN in the Netherlands.

5G technology provides higher speed, lower latency, and greater capacity than 4G LTE networks.

Globe said that it spent a record P92.8 billion last year on capital expenditures to prepare its network for the post-pandemic era.

Aside from building 1,407 new cell sites and installing over 1.4 million fiber-to-the-home lines, Globe also fired up over 2,000 5G outdoor sites and in-building solutions.

The telco has committed P89 billion in capital spending this year. — VBL, GMA News