Converge ICT Solutions, provider of ICT solutions and services, is leveraging connectivity for homes and businesses through pure fiber technology, as it eyes to offer broadband services capable of delivering high-speed Internet with equal download and upload links.
Jesus Romero, COO, Converge ICT; and Dennis Anthony Uy, President & CEO, Converge ICT
“Access to the Internet has accelerated recently as we are now amid digitalization,” said Dennis Anthony Uy, president and CEO at Converge ICT. “That is why we are leveraging on the power of pure fiber technology (for) the full potentials of having an efficient and reliable connectivity.”
Pure fiber technology uses fiber optic cables made from thin strands of fiber optics that are lightweight, non-flammable and non-corrosive. It is less prone to downtimes and interruptions as they do not break easily, do not conduct electricity, and can be submerged in water. One fiber can stretch up to several kilometers and is capable of transmitting 100Gbps.
Converge ICT offers FiberX unlimited Internet service plans which start at P1,500 with a connection burst speeds of up to 20Mbps; P2,500 with speeds of up to 50Mbps; and P3,500 with speeds of up to 100Mbps. Those who avail of these plans must pay an installation fee of P2,500. Other service offerings are the iBiz fiber Internet plans for businesses which start at Php4,000 a month with burst speeds of 10Mbps; and the MicroBiz fiber Internet service package for Php2,000 a month, all in at speeds of up to 20Mbps.
Jesus Romero, COO at Converge ICT, said the firm has a franchise, and a telco license from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), allowing it to build its facility for both domestic and international sites. It works with telcos and rent capacity from them. “The company currently has built over 6,000 kilometers of fiber optic network, from as far north as Baguio to as far south as in Balayan, Batangas. This has been done through MetroWorks, a Converge ICT’s wholly-owned subsidiary that is responsible for micro-trenching for underground optic fiber network,” he said.
The company’s existing backbone is in Metro Manila where the farthest is in Valenzuela up north down to Las Pinas and Muntinlupa; Nasugbu, Batangas; Naic, Cavite; and soon in San Fernando, La Union. Converge ICT uses PLDT cable stations in Bicol, La Union, Batangas, and Cavite. Its data centers are located in Pasig and Clark which service customers and government agencies.
Uy said their priority right now is the Luzon expansion which involves subsea connection between Luzon and Mindanao. The project, which costs $50 million through an equity capital venture, will kick off by end-2017.
The slow Internet speed in the country is an infrastructure issue, said Uy. “In terms of networks, we need to have 100,000 cell sites to serve 100-million subscribers. There is a need to build more infrastructure,” said Uy.
