Converge to provide free WiFi in 9 airports

MANILA, Philippines — Internet provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has partnered with the government to provide the public with WiFi services in nine airports across the country.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has sealed a deal with Converge for the provision of free WiFi in the passenger terminals of nine international and regional airports.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the free public WiFi services cover the departure and arrival areas of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) as well as Mactan-Cebu International Airport and Francisco Bangoy International Airport.

Converge is also extending fiber connectivity in the passenger terminals of the Bacolod-Silay Airport, Iloilo International Airport, Laoag International Airport and Pagadian Airport. The Internet provider will also deliver free Wi-Fi to Tacloban Airport and Zamboanga International Airport.

Under the agreement, Converge would provide free and secure Internet service for 60 minutes per day for every user.

Passengers can experience a minimum bandwidth speed of one GB at 80 percent service reliability in the arrival and departure areas of the selected airports.

Bautista said the DOTr wants to enhance the quality of Internet services in domestic airports through the partnership it signed with Converge.

“This joint project with Converge signifies our commitment to improve the connectivity services in our transport facilities, particularly in our airports,” Bautista added.

“Further, we are launching this initiative to provide connectivity to our passengers through digital technology,” the DOTr chief said.

Earlier, Converge bagged a deal from Luzon International Premiere Development Corp. to provide high-speed Internet for Clark International Airport. The agreement enables the gateway to run on direct Internet access (DIA) to ensure it has a dedicated line for online access.

The DIA provides business tenants in the Clark airport with uninterrupted connectivity that could raise their productivity in the process. It also sets up an end-to-end fiber infrastructure that firms within the gateway can use not only to connect to the Internet, but also to secure their database.

Converge has set up a total of 6.73 million fiber ports and is servicing at least 1.85 million customers as of end September, leaving it with nearly five million assets that it can sell out to customers, both residential and enterprise, without incurring additional cost.

Converge aims to cover 55 percent of all households next year.