Globe recently deployed Nokia’s state-of-the-art Interleaved Passive Active Antenna (IPAA+) radio solution in South Cotabato. This is the first of at least 50 installations planned for this year to support the top Philippine telco’s continuing network expansion and enhancement of mobile services for its customers.
The IPAA+ was produced by Nokia for Globe as a sustainable, low footprint and high capacity 4G/5G antenna to support smooth site upgrades across the country.
Using state-of-the-art antenna interleaving technology, the IPAA+ is a compact solution, saving some 1.5 meters of tower height space. Crucially, it does not increase the wind load on the tower, speeding up site acquisition and making deployment easier and faster. The impact on the cell site is minimal, as tower reinforcement and construction works are typically not needed, reducing the environmental impact during site modernization and the deployment of 5G.
The world-first testing of the 2.6 GHz IPAA+variant in Tantangan, South Cotabato, showed a 5 percent improvement in efficiency compared to legacy antennas. Furthermore, as the IPAA+ enables a wider coverage area, it also has the advantage of supporting more end-users.
“Through this innovation, Nokia will help us lessen our cost of energy and carbon emissions. Kudos to Nokia for collaborating with our Globe engineers to come up with this new solution. That’s the kind of partnership we can be proud of,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe chief sustainability and corporate communications officer, in remarks at the recent “Energize: The Globe Energy & Power Summit 2023,” where Nokia showcased the IPAA+.
Subho Mukherjee, VP of sustainability at Nokia, commented: “Nokia is proud to partner with Globe and support their efforts to deliver the most sustainability-driven network in the Philippines. Through this unique IPAA+ variant, we are supporting Globe’s efforts to reduce its environmental footprint as well as accelerate its 4G/5G rollout across the country to improve the connectivity experience of its customers. We will continue to work closely with them throughout deployment at approximately 50 additional sites this year in the Visayas and Mindanao islands.”
The IPAA+ is among products showcased by Globe’s partners in the Energize 2023 summit, an event that sought to instill an energy-conscious mindset among Globe employees and its value chain.
Its deployment demonstrates Globe’s commitment to adopting green network solutions as it aims to contribute to halving global carbon emissions by 2030 and attain Net Zero by 2050. To date, 25 of its high-energy utilization facilities run on renewable energy.
In 2021, Globe committed to set science-based targets through the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and submitted its science-based targets for evaluation and validation in June 2023.
It has maintained a CDP ‘B’ Rating since 2021 and is also committed to supporting the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), underscoring its dedication to addressing climate-related risks.
Most recently, Globe was recognized in four categories at the recent Environmental Finance Sustainable Company Awards 2023: Energy Efficiency Initiative of the Year in APAC, Net Zero Progression of the Year in APAC, Sustainability Reporting of the Year in APAC, and Large Enterprise of the Year in APAC.