GLOBE TELECOM, Inc. on Monday said it targets to bring health services via a telecommunication platform to the country’s remote areas after its “aggressive” network expansion and upgrade works.
The improvement will “bring telemedicine services to more people across the country, particularly those living in far-flung areas who do not have immediate access to licensed medical practitioners,” it said.
Telemedicine is a viable alternative to the traditional hospital or clinic visits during the pandemic, with only “one doctor” available per 33,000 Filipinos today, Globe said in an e-mailed statement.
The telco company currently offers telehealth services through its unit, 917 Ventures.
Its telehealth services include consultations, issuance of e-prescriptions, and reading of laboratory results by licensed doctors.
Medical consultations can be done through a phone call or video chat.
“More telehealth services which utilize online tools are also expected to be introduced as a result of rapid technological advancements,” Globe said.
Globe has an app for consultations, scheduling laboratory tests, and records storage, among others.
“Thus, with increasing demand for data-driven tools and services, Globe continuously invests billions of dollars to upgrade and improve its network. This year alone, Globe has earmarked $1.2 billion in capital expenditure, majority of which goes to network and capacity builds including the rollout of 4G LTE and 5G technology as well as fiber optic cables for better data connectivity, faster speed, bigger capacity, and lower latency,” Globe said.
Telecommunications companies are focusing on improving their services because of the surge in demand triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. They are putting up more cell towers around the country to increase capacity and coverage.
Globe Chief Technology Officer Gil B. Genio said last week the industry could improve its services in remote areas within three years because of the recently signed Republic Act No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act (Bayanihan II), which removes most of the requirements to put up and operate cell towers.
He said that if the existing telcos and the authorized common tower firms can build about 50 to 60 thousand cell towers in the next three years, the country will get a workable level of penetration for mobile internet. — Arjay L. Balinbin
