Globe Telecom has activated satellite-to-mobile connectivity in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani to restore emergency communications following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Southern Mindanao.
The deployment, made in partnership with Starlink, marks Globe's first use of satellite-to-mobile technology for disaster and emergency response in the Philippines after receiving a demonstration permit from the National Telecommunications Commission.
More than 700,000 Globe and TM subscribers in the affected areas are expected to benefit from the service, which provides messaging through WhatsApp and SMS using existing Globe SIM cards and LTE-enabled mobile phones.
Globe said the service will be offered free of charge for up to 30 days or until its terrestrial network is fully restored.
"We are grateful for the opportunity to support our kababayans in Mindanao and we hope that through the demo permits previously issued by the NTC, this deployment will demonstrate how this technology really works," Globe President and CEO Carl Cruz said.
"This initial deployment will show how satellite-to-mobile technology can provide communications support and strengthen network resilience during these times," he added.
The strong earthquake triggered tsunami advisories for several coastal communities in Southern Mindanao and caused network disruptions across around 30 municipalities after commercial power outages affected telecommunications facilities.
Globe said it is coordinating closely with local government units and electric cooperatives to accelerate the restoration of its network infrastructure while providing satellite-based communications as an interim solution.
Customers eligible for the service will receive instructions directly from Globe on how to connect to the satellite network using their existing devices.
The satellite deployment forms part of Globe's broader disaster response efforts aimed at maintaining connectivity and supporting emergency communications in affected communities.
