ASIDE from logistics, telecommunications and information technology is the fastest growing industry in the country today. Take it from one of the big players in the industry, Angeles City's very own Dennis Uy.
Uy owns Converge, formerly ComClark, one of the largest ICT service companies nationwide. He also owns Angeles City Cable Television Network (ACCTN).
Uy recently gave the press a glimpse of the stunning developments in their industry. He said the country is still lagging behind its counterparts in South East Asia in terms of infrastructure for information and communications technology.
According to Uy, the current players are only supplying internet service to about 7 million homes when the market still in waiting are about 26 million households nationwide.
"We need more players in the industry. We cannot serve the huge demand now because the wireless infra is not enough. The biggest telephone lines are only servicing 4 million households while there are 26 million more," he said.
Uy pointed out that the new technology is fiber. He said Converge has already rolled up its fiber optics technology with a booming US$350 million for the expansion and building of their infrastructure all over Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
He said their target is to open one million fiber ports nationwide and for every port, Converge is spending US$200.
"This business is not easy. We lack enough infrastructure. At present, we are building our La Union to Tuguegarao fiber optics infrastructure. This is about US$42 million," he said.
Uy added that their Naga to Legaspi and Sorsogon backbone is also in the pipeline.
Converge is hitting 1,000 new subscribers in Naga alone while it has at least 200,000 subscribers in Central Luzon. He said the internet has become a basic necessity to many Filipinos.
This is why Converge continuously improves its technology by aiming to go fully fiber optics. Oh, before I forget, fiber optics allows information to travel through light that is why it is faster than the copper cable we used to know.
However, the recent innovation and transformation of Converge has affected thousands in Pampanga as far as billing is concerned. The company initiated an initial change on the billing cycle but it created confusion and chaos among subscribers.
So Uy said he ordered a status quo on the billing cycle and ordered his team to stop the new system while they are perfecting their platforms for collections.
The man literally apologized. And I salute him for that.
Real courage is when you admit your mistakes and take responsibility in correcting such.
He said they will correct all the bills with errors and will not charge any penalty to overdue accounts caused by the new cycle system.
We just hope that Converge and the big telcos will keep abreast of the fast growing technology and improve their infrastructure yearly, if only to provide better service to Filipinos.
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Congratulations to Cebu Pacific for launching new routes from Clark to Iloilo, Bacolod and Japan!
Cebu Pacific continuously opens affordable flights for Pinoy travelers to enjoy.
Kapampangans and Central and North Luzon residents can now fly via Clark to easily reach these destinations.