Enterprise
Globe senior advisor Dan Horan talks data cap, fiber, Netflix deal, and content creation and distribution
Globe Telecom, one half of the Philippines’ telco duopoly, held its first Wonderful Wold with Globe event last June 24. And on the sidelines of the evening’s program that saw Netflix, Sports Illustrated, and Turner Broadcasting, among others, joining Globe’s growing list of content partners, we spoke with Globe chief advisor Dan Horan about data capping, expanding fiber-internet service in the Philippines, what the Netflix partnership will look like and mean for customers, and his company’s evolution into a content provider.
Spoiler alert: Data capping — two words you should never ever say to an avid internet user — is here to stay for the foreseeable future. Or at least as far as Globe’s mobile and broadband services are concerned. On a more positive note, Horan hinted at the likelihood that data rates would drop over time.
This interview has been edited and shortened for clarity.
GadgetMatch: You introduced several new content partners this evening. How will your expanded list of streaming services affect your data-capping scheme?
Dan Horan: Obviously, over time content changes. Now, we’re seeing lots of on-demand videos. As you know, we just launched a partnership with Netflix.
One of the things that’s really important is that we’re continuously building our networks to allow services to truly operate well. Earlier, you saw speeds of up to 100Mbps, which is more than enough for video services. We’re also building our WiFi networks. In many shopping malls, you see our up-to-100Mbps WiFi connections. We offer those connections for free, and not just to Globe customers. We’re also building our broadband network, which is physically the hardest because you have to go from house to house.
All of those have different cost structures and different capabilities, and they cost a lot of money. The investment in San Miguel Corporation alone cost us three quarters of a billion U.S. dollars. As much as I would love to offer our carrier services for free, we do need to recover some money. So it’s a delicate balancing act between making our shareholders happy and getting content in the hands of consumers affordably and fast.
You’ll see over the next few months that we will start to introduce more and more data options. And in the coming years, we will be adjusting our packages and prices to allow the Filipino community to get as much content as we can give them.
Fiber expansion is a topic of interest among internet users in the country. What are your plans for the future?
We have so many new things coming. One of the things we’re working on right now is that we’re putting future builds on our website to give you an idea when fiber will be available in your area. We also have $60 million in terms of upgrades happening on a lot of existing infrastructure as we speak.
Binondo is a good example, where we installed fiber everywhere. So if you want gigabyte speeds in that area, we can give it to you finally. I can also tell you that we have a big investment right now, and within the next three or four months, you’re gonna be seeing a lot of new locations that we’ll be upgrading with fiber. In Quezon City, there will be a lot of locations.
Netflix mentioned earlier that Globe is its first partner in the Philippines. How will the deal impact consumers?
So we signed an exclusive agreement with Netflix. And what that means is that customers will soon start to see services from Globe and Netflix that won’t be available anywhere else. It will be a mixture of both content and streaming packages. I can’t be more specific, but you’ll start to see things that are currently not available in the Philippines.
Let’s talk about Globe’s transformation into an entertainment company. Is this the next crucial step for your company?
Absolutely. We don’t treat ourselves as a telco anymore. I don’t think anybody mentioned megabytes or gigabytes or things of that nature tonight. You saw stories, you saw emotions, you saw brands that bring content to life. For us, those brands go hand-in-hand with our networks. The two have to work together.
With Globe Studios (which will produce original films and shows for the company), for example, we have the ability to make our own content, which we couldn’t have done before, and deliver it to anyone, anytime, anywhere. For me, that’s where we start to think of things from a lifestyle perspective.
A big question is where Globe Studios will put the content it creates. Will it only be available on Globe portals?
No, not at all. What’s great is that we can put the content in different platforms. We can put it in the cinema, and take it from cinema to subscription and so forth. The others we can upload to YouTube; some we can put in services like Astro, HOOQ, and Netflix. What Globe Studios gives the Filipino community is a platform to create content and monetize it internationally. If we have something that’s marketable worldwide, then why not?
[irp posts=”9513″ name=”Globe Prepaid Home WiFi review”]
Enterprise
AgiBot robots can now learn skills on the factory floor
Robotics company deploys real-world reinforcement learning system
Robotics company AgiBot has successfully deployed its Real-World Reinforcement Learning (RW-RL) system on a pilot production line with Longcheer Technology.
The company specializes in embodied intelligence, and the project marks the first application of RW-RL in real industrial robotics.
It connects advanced AI innovation with large-scale production, signaling a new phase in the evolution of intelligent automation for precision manufacturing.
Precision manufacturing lines have long relied on rigid automation systems that demand complex fixture design, extensive tuning, and costly reconfiguration.
Where AgiBot’s RW-RL system comes in is addressing such pain points. It enables robots to learn and adapt directly on the factory floor.
Within just minutes, robots can acquire new skills, achieve stable deployment, and maintain long-term performance without degradation.
The system also autonomously compensates for common variations, such as part position and tolerance shifts
Meanwhile, during line changes or model transitions, only minimal adjustments and standardized deployment steps are required. This dramatically improves flexibility while cutting time and cost.
Moreover, AgiBot’s system allows for flexible reconfiguration. Task or product changes can be accommodated through fast retraining; such solution exhibits generality across workplace layouts and production lines.
This milestone signifies a deep integration between perception-decision intelligence and motion control. And it represents a critical step forward unifying algorithmic intelligence and physical execution.
Unlike many laboratory demonstrations, AgiBot’s system also achieved validation under near-production conditions. It has completed a full loop from cutting-edge research to industrial-grade verification.
Moving forward, AgiBot and Longcheer plan to extend real-world reinforcement learning to a broader range of scenarios. These include consumer electronics and automotive components, with focus on developing modular and rapidly deployable robot solutions.
Once again, Warner Bros. Discovery is up for sale. Right now, the entertainment giant does not have a new owner yet. But, of course, there is a growing list of potential suitors. One of which has seemingly made its presence known. Netflix is reportedly considering a bid on its streaming rival.
In 2022, the then-named WarnerMedia, owned by AT&T, completed a blockbuster merger with Discovery. The new Warner Bros. Discovery brought the entire Warner library, HBO, Discovery, and Cartoon Network under a single umbrella. The resulting streaming service, dubbed HBO Max, now has enough content to rival Netflix and Disney+.
Recently, Warner Bros. Discovery put itself up for sale. Almost immediately, competitors have expressed interest in buying the library, including Amazon, Apple, and Netflix.
Over the weekend, Netflix has hired Moelis & Co, an investment bank, to evaluate a potential offer for the company, as reported by Reuters. Though it’s not an official bid yet, it’s a big show of interest from the other streaming giant.
According to Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, the company will evaluate what value the entire library can offer Netflix. However, Sarandos isn’t interested in acquiring the legacy cable networks currently under the Warner umbrella, such as CNN and TNT.
SEE ALSO: Max is rebranding once again to HBO Max
Enterprise
US caught dumping ‘millions of tons’ of e-waste into Southeast Asia
This includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Where do all old devices go after we’re done using them? If you’ve ever been in a place with a good recycling system, then you’ve probably seen bins for e-waste. Then again, you can go further down the chain and ask where these bins go. If you’re an American, a new report has an answer for you: Southeast Asia.
A Seattle-based organization called the Basel Action Network (or BAN, for short) conducted a two-year investigation on e-waste produced by the United States. The investigation revealed that at least ten American companies are shipping millions of tons of waste to several countries in Southeast Asia and the United Arab Emirates. These Asian countries include Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
According to ABC News, a few of the ten companies implicated have refuted that the imports are well within environmental standards and do not include harmful chemicals. Notably, these importers don’t handle the recycling themselves. Though their own processes might be legally allowed, the imports might still enable environmental hazards.
Regardless, the importing of e-waste is banned under an international treaty called the Basel Convention. The treaty covers hazardous waste shipped to other countries. The United States, however, have not ratified the treaty, so they’re not covered by the rules from a legal standpoint.
The shipping of waste has been a constant problem for Southeast Asia for a long time. However, e-waste carries more risk because of the harmful chemicals involved. The waste itself, for example, carries cadmium, lead, or mercury; all of which are harmful for humans. Further, the recycling process can involve harmful working conditions without appropriate protective gear. Some just burn the waste, leading to toxic fumes.
According to the report, Asia already produces almost half of the world’s e-waste. With America — a huge contributor of e-waste by itself — dumping e-waste all over Southeast Asia, the region is turning into a dumping ground for toxic garbage.
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