Globe has deployed its satellite-to-mobile service in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Southern Mindanao, providing affected residents with critical communication access amid ongoing recovery efforts.
The telecommunications company partnered with Starlink to deploy the service after receiving approval from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). The initiative marks Globe’s first use of Starlink’s satellite-to-mobile technology for disaster and emergency response in the Philippines.
More than 700,000 Globe and TM subscribers in the affected areas are expected to benefit from the service, which will enable messaging through WhatsApp and SMS even as network restoration efforts continue. Globe said the service will be offered free of charge for up to 30 days or until its network is fully restored.
“This initial deployment will show how satellite-to-mobile technology can provide communications support and strengthen network resilience during these times.” said Carl Cruz, President and CEO of Globe.
The earthquake prompted the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) to issue tsunami warnings for several coastal communities in Southern Mindanao. The disaster also caused widespread power interruptions that disrupted telecommunications facilities across around 30 municipalities.
Globe said it is coordinating closely with local government units and electric cooperatives to restore affected services as quickly as possible.
Customers in covered areas will receive instructions directly from Globe on how to connect to the satellite service using their existing Globe SIM cards and LTE-capable mobile phones.
