CONVERGE ICT Solutions, Inc. is upgrading its internet speeds at no cost to its subscribers in a bid to expand its subscriber base as it rolls out services in more parts of the country.
The fiber internet provider said it has started the free upgrade of internet speeds for its existing subscribers on the P2,500 plan from 50 megabits per second (Mbps) to 75 Mbps, and for those on the P3,500 plan from 100 Mbps to 150 Mbps.
It is also offering an add-on speed of 10 Mbps to subscribers of its P1,500 plan, which has a speed of 25 Mbps for P99. Customers who would avail of the promo until end of January 2019 may get the add-on service free for one month.
“With higher speeds, all Converge home subscribers will definitely enjoy more digital activities, get equipped with more-than-sufficient network requirements as demanded by current technologies and just plainly experience better,” the company said in a statement.
Converge Chief Operating Officer Jesus C. Romero said in an interview the company is eyeing to double the number of subscribers by next year, as it targets reaching 7 million in five years.
“Based on our end base in 2017 and our end base by this month, December, just following trend, we will double our subscriber base (next year)… The target is to double again,” he said.
In August, Converge Chief Executive Officer Dennis Anthony H. Uy said it had 200,000 subscribers.
But Mr. Romero said Converge is not starting a “price war” with PLDT, Inc. and Globe Telecom, Inc., as he believes the market is still large to accommodate them.
“I don’t think we’re going in a price war. We think the market is big enough for all of us. We don’t have to kill each other. Many people are still waiting for a fiber connection,” he said.
PLDT currently offers its unlimited fiber network plans for P6,000 for 200 Mbps and P2,899 for 50 Mbps. Meanwhile, Globe’s offers are P2,899 for 100 Mbps and P2,499 for 50 Mbps.
“Our objective is to reach as much of the Philippines as we can. Luzon Island we’re working hard. We’re almost in Baguio. We’re now in Naga, in Bicol, and we’re rolling out our own back bone there. The only thing is to get to Visayas and Mindanao, you need submarine cable. That’s going to take maybe 18 to 24 months. But we’re going to do that, because we really need to try to reach as much of the market as possible,” Mr. Romero said.
The fiber company has tapped South Korea’s KT Corp., US-based Tyco Electronics Subsea Communications LLC (TE SubCom) and local firm Fibernet Konstrukt Corp. in August for assistance in its expansion plans, with a total investment of P1.8 billion for five years. — Denise A. Valdez
