Converge, Clark airport operator ink deal

Converge ICT Solutions Inc. and Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (Lipad) recently inked a partnership to provide fiber connectivity in Clark International Airport (CRK), the country’s  international gateway in Central and North Luzon.

The internet service provider is supporting the first contactless airport’s connectivity through its enterprise-grade product Direct Internet Access (DIA).

“Our partnership with Lipad is proof of our commitment to provide the best fiber solution to the country’s critical transportation hubs. Our DIA enterprise product will support this gateway’s connectivity needs, for both travelers and commercial establishments,” Converge CEO and co-founder Dennis Anthony Uy said in a statement on Wednesday.

“We want CRK to be the airport of choice for travelers flying in or out of the Philippines, and in today’s fast-paced environment, providing our customers with a seamless and hassle-free experience includes making sure that they are connected all the time,” Lipad CEO Noel F. Manankil added.

The Clark airport handles 12 international and 19 domestic routes, operating over 700 flights per week. The new passenger terminal building at the airport, which was recently opened, can accommodate as many as eight million passengers yearly.

As of end-September, Converge had expanded its fiber footprint to nearly 600,000 kilometers, which include subsea, aerial and terrestrial fiber optic cable networks covering the entire country.

The internet service provider also installed more than 1.7 million fiber ports in the first nine months.

“Fulfilling our commitment to reach the unserved and underserved, we are continuously expanding and strengthening our fiber network to serve the strong demand for reliable and accessible internet,” Uy said earlier.

In the first half, Converge saw its net income rise by 22 percent to P3.95 billion, driven both by its residential and enterprise markets. Topline figures of its residential business improved by 38 percent to P14.08 billion while enterprise revenues grew by 26 percent to P1.97 billion in the first half.