(From left) Huawei Enterprise CEO Luan Ming Ming; Converge EVP for Government Affairs Atty. Chito Salud; Manila International Airport Authority Officer in Charge Bryan Co; Converge Chief Operations Officer Jesus C. Romero; Department of Transportation Undersecretary Roberto Lim; and Converge Chief Network Transformation Officer Paulo Martin Santos.
Outbound and inbound travelers can expect faster internet connection at Philippine airports, starting with Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 4 (NAIA T4), as leading fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc., rolls out 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) fiber connectivity as part of its Free Wifi project for the benefit of the country’s international and local gateways.
“Internet connectivity is among the top complaints of travelers when it comes to airport amenities. We want to do our part in enhancing the Philippines’ image and reputation to foreign and domestic travelers through this connectivity project. Local and international travelers can maximize our fiber-fast connection especially in digitally-supported processes in checking in and boarding, or even just surfing while waiting for departure or upon their arrival,” said Converge CEO and Co-Founder Dennis Anthony Uy.
Through the Converge Free Public Wifi, travelers can surf the internet for 120 minutes at speeds of up to 1 Gbps.
“I commend Converge for their unwavering commitment to excellence and their dedication to delivering top-notch connectivity solutions. Their collaboration with the Department of Transportation and our airport authorities is a testament to their understanding of the importance of connectivity in shaping the future of our transportation infrastructure,” said Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista.
Converge formalized the project through a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and airport operators Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), and Davao International Airport Authority (DIAA) last year. NAIA Terminal 4 is the first terminal to be launched in the project under the MOA.
“This initiative aligns perfectly with the Manila International Airport Authority’s vision of a modern and technologically advanced transportation system. By offering free Wi-Fi, we create an environment that encourages digital innovation and provides a platform for the development and implementation of various digital services. It showcases our dedication to providing passengers with a seamless travel experience from the moment they step foot in our NAIA terminals,” MIAA Officer-in-Charge Bryan Co said.
Converge is targeting to roll out this project all terminals of the following nine airports: Francisco Bangoy International Airport / Davao International Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Bacolod-Silay Airport, Iloilo International Airport, Laoag International Airport, Pagadian Airport, Tacloban Airport, and Zamboanga International Airport.
According to the MIAA, some 1.7 million international passengers traveled through NAIA in April of 2023, with 9,089 flight movements. Combined with figures for domestic flights, NAIA registered a total of 3.7 million passengers, and 22,816 flights in that same month.
Fast and Consistent Service
In 2020, Converge embarked on a nationwide expansion plan to ensure that its fiber broadband service is available to all unserved and underserved areas nationwide. Today, Converge has the broadest FTTH network with over 646,000 kilometers of fiber assets, with 15.9 million households covered. Converge serves nearly 2 million residential customers and 40,000 business customers.
“Now that our infrastructure is in place, Converge is ready and able to serve more facilities such as our airports, schools, and government offices all over the country. With our network design and technology, we can assure customers that we will provide fast, reliable, and consistent service, wherever they may be,” said Converge Chief Operations Officer Jesus C. Romero.
“As an internet service provider, being fast is elementary. What matters more is being consistent in providing our offered speed and knowing our subscribers all over the country where we serve are satisfied with the kind of service they are getting. What we always wanted is for everyone to get equal access to the service they deserve,” adds Romero.
Converge improved its year-on-year speed result by 70%, posting median download speed of 94.39 Mbps in the first quarter of 2023―a vast increase from median download speed of 50.26 Mbps around the same quarter last year. Superseding the national median download speed of 92.09 Mbps, Converge proves to be a major player in improving the country’s digital landscape. The company also exceeded speed expectations in 15 out of the 16 regions it serves, where speed results doubled.
The company received the *Best ISP Video Experience in the Philippines recognition for the second half of 2022 at the Ookla® Speedtest Award™, which verifies the consumer-generated score results of video experiences felt by customers over a six-month period, with an overall video score of 80.99.
Converge has been the ISP of choice for streamers, gamers, and high-volume data-sharing businesses. Subscribers have benefited from hassle-free service with the company's consistent high speed, low jitter (2 ms in 2022) (all data arrives in the right order), and lowest latency (all data arrives swiftly) (12.51ms in 2022) connectivity regardless of their subscribed plan.