Dennis Anthony Uy, CEO and Co-Founder of leading fiber broadband operator Converge ICT Solutions Inc., has been awarded with the Global Excellence Award by the International Chamber of Commerce Philippines, joining the ranks of top Philippine tycoons who have received the prestigious recognition.
Leading the “fiber revolution” in the Philippines and a stalwart in improving the country’s fixed broadband penetration, Mr. Uy’s time in the spotlight has long been coming but was accelerated in large part due to the onset of the pandemic in 2020.
“We belong to an industry that has become a lifeline for Filipinos everywhere. Internet connectivity has become as essential today as food and medicine. For us, at Converge, internet access is not just a necessity but a right of every Filipino,” said Converge CEO and Co-founder Dennis Uy says upon receiving the ICCP Global Excellence Award
A Pioneer in Fiber Technology
The global health crisis exposed the enormous need of quarantined Filipinos for stable and strong fixed broadband. With every economic activity now taking place in the household, only high-capacity, high-speed broadband could accommodate Filipinos’ skyrocketing demand for bandwidth.
Enter Dennis Anthony Uy, who has foreseen the superiority of fiber broadband way back in the early 90s. Starting with customers from special economic zones in Pampanga to the wider community in Central Luzon, and finally making it in Metro Manila, Mr. Uy has brought Converge to the homes of more and more Filipinos over three decades.
Through his introduction of micro-trenching – which accelerated the rollout of the fiber cables in metropolitan areas through a minimally invasive method – Mr. Uy has spread the company’s fiber footprint in Metro Manila, while strengthening his hold in his home market of Pampanga.
Today, Converge’s fiber network has passed 9.6 million homes and has rolled out 5.2 million fiber ports nationwide. Its subscriber base hit 1.6 million, double-digit growth over 2020.
Underpinning these operational wins are the company’s solid financial performance, pulling in a net income of P 5.2 billion, and revenues of P 18.8 billion.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Mr. Uy completed his national digital highway – the domestic fiber backbone of Converge – in October 2021, setting the stage for more add-on services for Filipino consumers.
Now a prominent presence in the ICT space and a recognized pioneer in fiber technology, Mr. Uy is setting his sights on satellite technology to bring broadband to underserved and unserved areas in the Philippines. Mr. Uy has new horizons to conquer as plans to use satellite technology for online education is underway.
Global Excellence Award
These achievements built over three decades were recently recognized by the International Chamber of Commerce Philippines – the local faction to the global network of business chambers. In their citation, ICCP praised Uy’s “business zeal and expertise which continues to help the country achieve competitiveness and productivity”, in bestowing the Global Excellence award.
“As founder and CEO of Converge ICT Solutions Inc, he has set in motion and pioneered fiber technology in the Philippines and continues to transform the ICT infrastructure in the country,” said the ICCP during the ceremony.
Mr. Uy propelled “transformative change” through the creation of the national digital highway – the domestic fiber backbone that spans the entire country.
“It is an honor to be recognized as a leader of a company that is responsible for the livelihood and work of so many Filipinos. Since my first venture into broadcast and cable solutions in disaster-stricken Pampanga in the 90s, I’ve always had in mind how my technology can uplift the lives of others. More than two decades later, we continue to be there for Filipinos in their time of need,” said Dennis Anthony Uy during the ceremony.
Other notable recipients of the Global Excellence Award are Ramon S. Ang, and Megaworld’s Dr. Andrew L. Tan.
With demand for fixed broadband seen to be sustained in the medium term, Converge is moving up its target to achieve 55% household coverage in 2023, from its original 2025 target date.
