Globe Board Approves New Capex of US$300 Million for Network Expansion

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The Globe Board of Directors approved new capital expenditure (capex) of US$300 million for network expansion, consisting of US$160 million for mobile; US$50 million for corporate data; and, US$90 million for broadband. Previous to this new approval, the Company’s 2016 capex availment and capex cashflow were the same at U$750 million. The additional network spending will bring 2016 capex availment to U$1 billion while the capex cashflow will range between U$750 – 810 million depending on the final network build completion in the fourth quarter of this year.

In line with Globe’s vision for the Philippines to become an admired nation for having first world Internet connectivity, the Company is kick-starting an additional mobile capex program for more deployment of LTE services using the 700 megahertz (MHz) and 2600 MHz frequencies, increased 3G capacities and further expansion of mobile coverage. Consistent with the Company's commitment to the government for the improvement of mobile internet services and expanding LTE coverage across the Philippines, Globe plans to roll-out additional 700 LTE 700 sites, close to 2,700 LTE 2600 sites and additional core and transport upgrades.

In parallel, Globe has started the deployment of fiber broadband technology that will provide ultra-fast internet access to two million homes in 20,000 barangays by 2020. Lastly, Globe is investing for capacity augmentation of its corporate data network to address the bandwidth requirements of enterprise clients for the use of various data solutions to improve business efficiency, enhance productivity and boost competitiveness.

“Guided by our new purpose of ‘creating a Globe of Good’, the Company is aggressively fast-tracking a multi-pronged network infrastructure and capacity expansion build to provide our customers a better internet experience”, said Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu. “We are leveraging our additional 700MHz and 2600Mhz spectrum by investing heavily on LTE to improve both mobile data and fixed wireless broadband. The Company is now in the best position more than ever to deliver the best video platforms and expand our data services, in line with the future of our business.” “Mr. Cu added.

From a product perspective, data has remained Globe’s catalyst for growth across all the product segments. For the first half of 2016, the Company’s data-related revenues accounted for 50% of consolidated service revenues, up from 37% in the first half of last year. Total data revenues, which consist of mobile data, home broadband and corporate data services, reached Php29.6 billion in the first six months of the year, up 48% from the Php20.0 billion pesos reported last year.

Carbon Black Lands Top Score in Prevention and the Highest Score Possible In Detection Capabilities Criteria

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Carbon Black, the leader in next-generation endpoint security, today announced that the company was named a “Leader” in the Forrester Research Inc. report, The Forrester Wave: Endpoint Security Suites, Q4 2016, achieving the highest score possible in the detection capabilities criteria and the top score for the prevention capabilities criteria.

"Carbon Black offers a strong balance of prevention, detection, and remediation functions without relying on signature blacklists," according to the Forrester report, authored by Chris Sherman. According to the Forrester report: “antivirus technologies have become less effective at protecting employee endpoints and servers. Numerous competing technology vendors have risen up to take aim at the stagnant antivirus market as a result.”

As one of these competing vendors, Carbon Black earned a “Leader” distinction.

Said Carbon Black Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Morley: “The emerging next-generation endpoint-security market must go beyond prevention to incorporate detection and remediation capabilities, empowering business to get to the root of their security issues. We believe we are the first and only next-generation antivirus (NGAV) company designated as a ‘Leader’ by Forrester.”

According to the Forrester Report: “With its more recent acquisition of Confer in 2016, the company demonstrates its commitment to a more balanced portfolio, with prevention and detection capabilities.”

Carbon Black’s leadership is built on having a complete endpoint-security solution that addresses evolving customer demands to include market-leading prevention, detection and remediation.

The Cb Endpoint Security Platform uniquely couples behavioral-based prevention techniques, with detection and response capabilities, delivering a complete endpoint security platform. Carbon Black’s disruptive behavioral-based prevention monitors all processes on an endpoint for attack patterns. When these patterns emerge, Carbon Black immediately and definitively prevents the attack and offers visibility into what the attacker tried to do.

Customers can use the Cb Endpoint Security Platform to replace legacy antivirus technology, lock down critical systems, and arm incident-response teams with advanced tools to proactively hunt down threats. The Cb Endpoint Security Platform is the only solution that provides the flexibility and security required to grow and evolve with an organization’s security needs, and is available in the cloud or on-prem. Through Carbon Black’s extensive partner program, and integration with IBM’s BigFix, Carbon Black provides robust remediation capabilities.

The Cb Endpoint Security Platform is powered by the “Cb Collective Defense Cloud,” which provides an assessment of what’s safe and what’s not, based on advanced-analytic techniques applied to data from millions of endpoints. It continuously records data from more than seven million endpoints protected by Carbon Black products, and constant interactions between the Cb Collective Defense Cloud and Carbon Black’s offerings strengthen the system’s ability to identify malicious activity and become more resilient over time.

Download the complete Forrester Wave™: Endpoint Security Suites, Q4 2016 report

Lawin Disrupts Communications Services in Some Parts of Northern Luzon

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Globe gears up restoration activities and business continuity protocols.

Two-hundred twenty five (225) kph-strong winds from Typhoon Lawin resulted in commercial power interruption, multiple fiber cuts and service disruption in parts of Northern Luzon. Globe reported voice, call and data service disruptions in selected areas in Abra, Cagayan, Kalinga, portions of Ilocos Norte and Apayao.

Customers in the said areas will temporarily experience difficulty in accessing communications services. PAGASA has donwngraded Lawin from supertyphoon to typhoon level offering opportunities for early restoration of Globe services. Network redundancies were activated to alleviate the impact of service disruptions to customers.

Globe technical teams have already been deployed to restore damaged facilities. In the meantime, Globe is also in close coordination with government agencies to deploy relief operations in areas affected by the typhoon. Further advisories will be released to update customers on the restoration of various services.

As of 3:30 pm Thursday, about 95% of Globe Telecom’s total wireless network in northern Luzon are already online, enabling the company to provide critical telecommunication services in areas severely affected by Typhoon Lawin.

Following accelerated restoration efforts implemented by the company, Globe Telecom’s mobile services have been immediately restored in key areas that include Baguio, Benguet, Laoag, parts of Tuguegarao City and Cagayan including Ballesteros, Cauayan and other areas in Isabela.

Globe assures its customers that it will continue to step up restoration efforts until we have completely restored voice, text and data services are fully restored in all typhoon-hit areas.

Meanwhile, Globe also began reaching out to typhoon victims in Cauayan, Isabela by setting up a Libreng Tawag and Libreng charging station across Cauayan City Hall to assist residents who needed to assure their family and friends of their safety or to request for aid if necessary. The facility is available from October 20-22, 8 am to 6 pm. —Yoly Crisanto, Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications.