Leading Philippine telecom companies Converge ICT Solutions Inc. (PSE: CNVRG) and DITO Telecommunity Corp., subsidiary of DITO CME Holdings Corp. (PSE: DITO), announce the signing of a landmark Master Facilities Provisioning Agreement (MFPA)ย that will allow the two companies to share select terrestrial and submarine fiber optic cable assets, under terms and conditions to be mutually agreed upon by Converge and DITO Telecommunity.
This resource exchange arrangement will strengthen the network of both operators as it translates to expanded coverage and increased redundancy. At the same time, it will create savings from increased operational efficiencies and reduced capital expenditure requirements.
โWe want to leverage our respective existing facilities through this resource sharing agreement to bring us closer to our goal of empowering every Filipino home with quality broadband connectivity. Our collaboration will allow us to reach more customers and deliver a better service with increased resiliency,โ said Converge Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Dennis Anthony H. Uy.
DITO Telecommunity Chief Executive Officer Ernesto R. Alberto commented, โUnder the spirit of forging alliances and healthy competition, this agreement is a testament to both our organizationsโ shared commitment to provide the best user experience that our customers deserve โ whether consumer or enterprise.โ
Converge Chief Operations Officer Jesus Romero further noted that this milestone agreement propels both networks as the robust state-of-the-art pure fiber network of Converge matches the brand new network of DITO Telecommunity.
As of November 2023, the total fiber assets of Converge span 682,000 fiber kilometers, and passes over 16.7 million homes, with its household coverage now at 62.3% of the total households in the Philippines.
On the other hand, DITO Telecommunity has over 7,000 cell sites reaching over 80% of the population located in over 850 cities and municipalities in the country. It now has over 9.5 million activated subscribers enjoying access to a pure 4G/5G network unhindered by any legacy infrastructure.
DITO Telecommunity Chief Technology Officer Major General Rodolfo D. Santiago (ret) added the following comment, โThis agreement strengthens both our networks and eliminates the costly time, motion, financial, and manpower resources involvedย for such a network enhancement undertaking.โ
The agreement underscores a pioneering effort to bolster network reliability, enhance fiber services for the over two million customers of Converge, and fortify mobile services for over 9.5 million registered subscribers of DITO Telecommunity, contributing to expedited coverage expansion and supporting the countryโs digitalization initiatives.
This partnership aims to achieve lower downtime, faster throughput, and more reliable connectivity leading to a further enhancement of the user experience of Converge and DITO Telecommunity customers.
For purposes of implementing the MFPA, separate Facilities Agreements will have to be agreed by Converge and DITO Telecommunity, specifying, among others,ย the location (routes), service restorations and first line maintenance of the covered facilities for each otherโs usage.
