Fiber broadband and technology provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has stepped onto the global stage to impart its journey toward digital inclusion, and how it contributes in advancing the United Nations’ targets for universal meaningful connectivity.
Speaking to the delegates of Telecoms World Asia held in Bangkok, Thailand, Converge Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer Benjamin Azada shared insights on bridging the digital divide through telecom infrastructure, in line with the company’s commitment to leave no one behind in serving world-class connectivity, especially to the unserved and underserved.
“It’s really about using your existing investments in your infrastructure to service as many people as you can. The UN Technology Envoy and the International Telecommunication Union set a deadline of 2030. We don’t have much time left, so let’s all work together across the ecosystem to achieve that,” he noted.
Azada said that Converge has been laser-focused on building its infrastructure and introducing solutions that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Universality Targets of UN, which aims to ensure that everyone can enjoy a safe, satisfying, enriching, productive and affordable online experience.
These targets include 100 percent of households with internet access, and connecting all businesses and schools by 2030.
Committing to leave no one behind in this endeavor, Converge launched its pioneering solutions Surf2Sawa (S2S) and BIDA Fiber which both cater to the mass market, delivering high-speed internet connection at more affordable price.
With the launch of these products, Converge now serves households in different income segments, anchored by its core product FiberX.
Azada also added that Converge continues to empower the business sector through its enterprise solutions which are geared towards serving small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
In terms of speeds, he said all of the company’s solutions exceed ITU’s target of 10 Mbps, with its entry-level solution Surf2Sawa providing users with speeds up to 25 Mbps.
Converge has also been making significant progress towards the UN’s affordability target, with Surf2Sawa at 3.9% of GNI per capita.
“Hopefully with the improving household incomes, with the economic growth over the next seven years, we will hit the 2030 target of less than two percent of GNI,” the Converge Chief Strategy Officer said.
As of end-September 2023, Converge has deployed nearly 7.9 million fiber ports, making it the widest fiber to the home network in the country. This network now passes 16.7 million homes, covering 62.9 percent of the Philippine population.
Telecoms World Asia is a premier conference held annually where telecom leaders from different parts of Asia convene to discuss the future of telco networks, 5G rollout progress, and digitization of customer services and processes, among others.
BusinessNewsAsia.com