Globe Telecom partners with University of Mindanao for cell tower to boost coverage
GLOBE TELECOM, Inc. has partnered with University of Mindanao (UM) for the installation of a cell tower that will boost coverage in the school’s Matina campus as well as Davao City’s central area.
“This is an area where we were challenged in terms of internet and connectivity. What happened in Dec. 23, 2016 when NCCC Mall was razed by fire, where we had a temporary cell site on top of the building, when it got burned down the signal and coverage in this particular area got compromised,” Ric Angelo Aquino, regional sales head of Globe MyBusiness South Mindanao, said in an interview during the site’s inauguration on Tuesday.
The tower delivers an average speed of 30mbps, he said.
The campus is located near several other academic institutions, the city’s downtown area, and residential neighborhoods.
The project broke ground in Feb. 2020, prior to the imposition of coronavirus-related restrictions.
“Today’s inauguration of the cell site comes at a time when interconnectivity is needed more than ever,” says Edward Anthony Go, first vice chairman of the UM Board of Trustees. He also said they are looking forward to “the continued partnership with Globe, with the hope of improving and uplifting the lives of our community.”
UM is a private, non-sectarian academic institution with five other campuses in different parts of Davao Region. Under the partnership, UM teachers and students get a limited free internet access from Globe.
The Ayala-led firm and the university first teamed up in 2017 for the Digital Thumbprint Program, which was intended to help schools gain a better understanding of the importance of digital connectivity and online security.
“It is part of our vision to empower teachers and students with the latest technology so that the graduates of UM become responsible citizens that contribute to the country’s growing and thriving economy,” Mr. Aquino said. — Maya M. Padillo
