Converge ICT taps North Carolina's CommScope to build internet backbone

Fiber internet service provider Converge IT Solutions Inc. has partnered with North Carolina-based network infrastructure firm CommScope to build an internet backbone in the Philippines.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday, Converge ICT said the internet backbone will connect the unserved and underserved market and communities in the country.

As the Philippines undergoes a nationwide shift towards remote working and e-commerce activity, having robust, high-speed internet infrastructure has become a critical resource for Filipino businesses and citizens, according to the company.

To address this demand, Converge ICT said it will expand network coverage in rural and urban areas.

The company said CommScope is working closely with it and will contribute its network design, deployment, and project management expertise.

“The unprecedented demand for connectivity has moved to the top of the agenda when it comes to growing the Philippines’ economy. Converge ICT’s ambition is to provide super-fast reliable connections while overcoming the disparities in fiber rollouts that have excluded the benefits of the internet from some of our nation’s communities,” said Dennis Anthony Uy, founder and CEO of Converge ICT.

“Copper cannot support the seismic transformational changes we expect in the future, making it critical to build out fiber networks strategically, quickly, cost-effectively, and at scale. CommScope’s team is dedicated to ensuring the largest, most ambitious network transformations go off without a hitch,” Uy said.

Converge ICT said speed of deployment and shortage of skilled labor continue to be a challenge around large fiber connectivity deployments.

It said CommScope’s plug-and-play fiber products reduce installation time by eliminating fiber splicing requirements to increase the speed of deployment.

The high-speed fixed broadband operator said it will also tap into CommScope’s Optical Distribution Network innovation to address the constantly changing needs of the Fiber To The Home (FTTH) network.

“As emerging markets like the Philippines invigorate broadband with investment in digital infrastructure, it will be critical to build networks that meet that demand,“ said Alper Turken, senior vice president of Service Providers for Asia Pacific, CommScope. —KBK, GMA News