Globe transforms Ilocos Norte to GoWiFi hub

In line with its vision of accelerating the digital transformation of the Philippines, Globe has cemented another key partnership with one of the country’s biggest provinces, Ilocos Norte. 

Dubbed as the “Northern Gateway of the Philippines”, Ilocos Norte is a vibrant province of more than half a million people and is known for its historic structures and distinct local cuisine. Through a partnership with its local government, Globe aims to power more of the province’s constituents with free, high-speed Internet with its GoWiFi services. 

The milestone partnership was formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement signing last February 11 at the Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol. The ceremony was led by Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu and Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Manotoc in the presence of other representatives from both Globe and the Ilocos Norte local government. 

“Staying true to our mission of leading the country’s digital transformation, this partnership with Ilocos Norte is of utmost importance for us in reaching and connecting more areas outside urban Luzon to reliable Internet connectivity,” said Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu. “We are hoping that this connectivity can stimulate the development of the province as one of the economic powerhouses in the entire Northern Luzon – from powering small and medium local businesses with more efficient digital solutions to offering 24/7 quality medical services by telehealth provider KonsultaMD to more citizens.”

GoWiFi services are now available in key areas in Ilocos Norte such as the Capitol Building, Laoag City Hall, Batac City Hall, San Nicolas IT Park and Aurora Park in Laoag. In line with this partnership, Globe will also be holding sessions of its Digital Thumbprint Program (DTP) that aims to educate local government representatives and its community members on responsible online behavior. This includes being knowledgeable on online safety, cyberbullying, online etiquette, identifying fake news, among many others. DTP training will be done within the first quarter of the year.

Globe is targeting to power all municipalities in Ilocos Norte with free Internet in the next few years. With a partnership in place, Ilocos Norte is now part of the 2,700 GoWiFi hotspots all over the country. The free Internet service provider continues its expansion plans nationwide, particularly in high-traffic areas like schools, malls, and hospitals to make high-quality internet connection accessible and affordable to more Filipinos. 

 GoWiFi services are available in regular (free) GoWiFi and premium (paid) GoWiFi Auto, both available to all users with any WiFi-enabled device regardless of the network service provider. Subscription to GoWiFi allows users to enjoy connection speeds as high as 100Mbps depending on location. To connect to Free GoWiFi, just open the Wi-Fi-enabled device’s WiFi settings, connect to the SSID “@FreeGoWiFi” or “@<site>_FreeGoWiFi,” register and wait for the SMS verification code, then select a WiFi offer, confirm and start surfing.

 As a bonus, Globe Prepaid & TM customers can enjoy 1GB of free GoWiFi for every registration of GoSAKTO, GoSURF & EasySURF worth P50 and above that, they can use in any GoWiFi hotspot! Globe Prepaid GoSAKTO90 users can enjoy 1GB free GoWiFi access on top of 2GB mobile data, 2GB for GoWATCH&PLAY, 1 GCash voucher and unlimited all-net texts valid for 7 days for only P90. On the other hand, TM EasySURF50 users automatically get 1GB free GoWiFi access, 1GB mobile data, 2GB for EasyWATCH&PLAY, 300MB for an app of their choice and unlimited all-net text all valid for 3 days. 

For more information, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/gowifi.html.