Globe targets nationwide WiMAX in Philippines

Globe Telecom has launched in the Philippines what it claims will eventually be the biggest 802.16e network at 2.5GHz in Southeast Asia. Using equipment from Huawei, Globe is offering a wireless broadband service (speeds of up to 512Kbps) at a monthly cost of P795 (around $16).

So confident is Globe of the service, it is offering a money-back guarantee, no questions asked, to customers who are unhappy with service within a month of WiMAX installation.

Globe’s WiMAX service is initially available in selected areas in South Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It reportedly has plans to continue rolling out hundreds of more WiMAX sites in the Philippines, using them as a complement to its existing DSL and 3G services and so extending broadband access throughout the country.

Globe’s capex levels are expected to reach between $350m and  $400m this year, around $150m of which is allocated to consumer broadband services.