Bet on low-cost fiber pays off for Converge

MANILA, Philippines — Broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has touched the two million subscriber count in the residential segment and expects to further expand its customer base with its retail products performing well.

Based on records, Converge has registered over two million subscribers as of September, buoyed by the entry of new customers from the low-cost segment.

Converge co-founder and CEO Dennis Anthony Uy expects his firm to sustain its growth trend for the rest of the year, as Converge brings its fiber services across all economic classes.

In June, Converge entered the prepaid market by introducing Surf2Sawa, its retail broadband that seeks to serve low-cost families. Surf2Sawa provides unlimited surfing with a download speed of up to 25 Mbps for P50 per day, P200 for seven days, P380 for 15 days and P700 for 30 days.

“This milestone is a result of our effort to expand our growth opportunities through providing more affordable connectivity solutions. We are positioned to maintain this growth momentum as we bolster our penetration into the different segments of the market,” Uy said.

Converge is also offering a budget version of its flagship FiberX named BIDA Fiber that runs for P888 a month with a maximum speed of 35 Mbps that can connect up to six devices.

Converge chief operations officer Jesus Romero said August was the best performing month for Converge, as it saw an increase in sales that can be partly attributed to the resumption of classes.

“We are encouraged by the continued growth of our residential subscriber base in the first half of the year, (and) this is further proof of the superiority of our broadband product, coupled with our people’s laser-focus on meeting customer needs,” Romero said.

Converge maintains one of the largest broadband networks in the Philippines with more than 7.8 million fiber ports nationwide. Also, it manages a cable system that spans 670,000 kilometers.

In its financial report, Converge said that it added around 92,000 customers between January and June. In the second quarter alone, the firm obtained over 25,000 subscribers for Surf2Sawa, as it marketed the product to some of the poorest areas where families find it challenging to pay for a postpaid plan.

As of June, Converge has passed approximately 16.6 million homes, equivalent to 62 percent of households across the archipelago.