“It’s very obvious to all of you that we won’t make money out of this. It's a very costly service,” Globe CEO Carl Cruz said during a media briefing discussing the company’s full-year 2025 results on Monday.
“It’s something that we decided to offer to the Philippines mainly because of our deep purpose of making sure that really no one is left behind,” he added.
What’s the deal about?
According to Cruz, Globe’s tie-up with the broadband satellite services firm backed by Musk’s SpaceX will fill gaps in mountains, islands, and far-flung communities where building towers is too expensive.
Globe estimates that up to 4 percent of the population lacks coverage from traditional telecommunications providers.
That figure may sound modest, but with a population of about 120 million, it translates to nearly 5 million Filipinos effectively cut off from reliable connectivity.
“This is something that we take a look at holistically because it is really our purpose to provide connectivity,” Cruz explained.
New player enters the market
Starlink’s entry was made possible by the Konektadong Pinoy Act, which removed the need for a congressional franchise for data firms and allowed more companies to offer telecom and internet services in the country.
The move also offers a glimpse of how new technologies like low-Earth orbit satellites can broaden connectivity and deliver speeds comparable to land-based networks.
Globe eyes Q2 2026 launch
The key question is pricing, which is typically at a premium when it comes to satellite-based internet.
According to Darius Delgado, Globe’s chief commercial officer, pricing is still being finalized but the goal is to make the service accessible to as many Filipinos as possible.
He said their target is to begin offering the service by the second quarter of 2026.
“And that’s why we are studying the price points very carefully so that even with Starlink, we will ensure that even the underserved and the poorest of the poor can actually afford that service. At the same time, we continue to ensure that our mainstream pricing is competitive," Delgado said.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
