Philippines operator Globe Telecom reports it has upgraded 600 towns across the Philippines to full fiber-optic internet, eliminating copper from its network. Globe earlier reported that fibre services accounted for 89.7 percent of its total broadband revenues in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 85 percent one year earlier.
This growth was mainly supported by Globe’s 26 percent expansion in its fiber subscriber base and the increasing adoption of GFiber Prepaid (GFP) services. Globe saw a 23 percent growth in fixed-wired subscribers rising to 1.4 million from 1.2 million during the same period. GFibre Prepaid (GFP) subscribers increased to 400,000 in the first three months of 2025, up 53 percent quarter-on-quarter. Globe's home broadband subscriber base reached 1.83 million at end-March 2025, compared to 1.72 million subscribers at the end of March last year.
The operator also reports that intentional cable cuts persist due to misinformation that fibre can be sold like copper. A significant number of towns, 40 percent of the initial 425 that transitioned, have experienced these cuts, Globe added. Even in areas where copper theft was common, 63 percent still saw fibre-related incidents, the operator said.
