Converge on commitment to UP Maroons: “We’ve only just begun”

The connection is strong between the University of the Philippines Men’s Basketball Team (UPMBT) and Converge ICT Solutions Inc. as they inked a multi-season deal ahead of the 84th season of University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

The Fighting Maroons are among the top bets expected to go all the way in UAAP Season 84.

Converge ICT Solutions Inc. founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Mr. Dennis Anthony Uy expressed confidence in the Diliman squad, saying, “Given the caliber and talent of these young guys under Coach Goldwin [Monteverde], I expect no less than a Final Four finish.”

“Converge believes the Fighting Maroons are a strong and talented team that embodies UP’s tradition of honor and excellence on and off the court – values that we also strive for at Converge. This is why we decided to continue our partnership with the team for UAAP Seasons 84 and 85. This partnership goes beyond the court,” Mr. Uy added.

UPMBT team manager Atty. Agaton Uvero expressed appreciation for the assistance and support that Converge ICT Solutions has provided not just to the team but also to the UP community.

“We are truly grateful to Converge for their faith in us and for all the support they’ve given to the team and the UP community throughout these challenging times. This is only the beginning of a strong connection between the Fighting Maroons and Converge. Together we will do great things,” Atty. Uvero said.

Converge started supporting the UPMBT in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. Besides support for the basketball team, the telecommunication service provider supplied free internet connection to UP’s varsity student-athletes and other UP students who transitioned to remote learning because of the pandemic.

“Providing fiber connectivity for students and teachers is an advocacy that is close to my heart. It is a privilege for us to help create the classroom environment that will help students to excel in their studies. We will continue to contribute in this advocacy,” Mr. Uy concluded.

Converge ICT beats other providers in Netflix’s ISP Speed Index

MANILA, Philippines, February 2, 2021 – Popular streaming service, Netflix, has long taken the Philippines by storm. With content ranging from animated movies perfect for kids and kids-at-heart, works from talented local filmmakers, to feel-good K-dramas, more and more Filipino subscribers are hooked to Netflix.

As an online streaming service, availing a Netflix subscription and enjoying the millions of hours of its content, uninterrupted and in the highest possible quality, require a stable internet connection for subscribers to fully enjoy their viewing experience.

Netflix’s ISP Speed Index is designed to measure which ISPs provide the best prime time Netflix streaming experience.

Great quality streaming is synonymous with Netflix, the online streaming service has come up with its own index to reveal which ISP performs the best and can most likely let a subscriber best enjoy their time on Netflix. Read more about the Netflix ISP Speed Index here.

Why is this important? Because Netflix’s stories are best delivered on a strong internet network, which is not only about speed but also about latency, jitter and packet loss. Absent this, video viewers will have issues with buffering, pixelization, etc. Moreover, there is now a lot of 4K or UHD content on Netflix which provides a much better immersive viewing experience but requires more bandwidth. On its website, Netflix recommends a minimum of 25Mbps for 4K video which is very well supported by Converge’s recent permanent free speed upgrades where its entry level P1,500 plan is now at 35Mbps from the previous 25Mbps.

According to the December 2020 Netflix ISP Speed Index, the latest local iteration, Converge tops the board at 3.4 Mbps. Converge has been leading the Philippine ISP leaderboard for the last 6 months as can be seen from the ISP Leaderboard website.

As the leader in providing pure end-to-end fiber internet, Converge ensures this commitment also extends to its subscribers who enjoy consuming their fair share of entertainment, which includes Netflix.

With the introduction of free speed upgrades of up to 300 Mbps for its consumer plans last December, subscribers can continue to expect the best streaming experience and make more memories with the online platform with Converge.

“The changes we have felt arising from the pandemic has led many to explore their options for at-home entertainment, and we are pleased to see that Converge’s pure fiber internet has allowed its subscribers to enjoy the very best of online streaming platform Netflix, uninterrupted and in the highest possible quality. Our showing in the latest Netflix ISP Speed Index illustrates our commitment to continue providing fast and affordable internet to our subscribers,” said Converge Chief Operating Officer, Jesus Romero.

Want to #ExperienceBetter? Start with the fastest growing fiber internet provider, Converge ICT. Visit convergeict.com for more details.

Converge Continues Joint Celebration of 1M Subscribers, Christmas with Even More Free Speed Upgrades

MANILA, Philippines, December 28, 2020 — It has been a time of celebration for Converge Information and Communications Technology Solutions Inc. (Converge ICT) as they recently achieved a milestone of one million subscribers. In its continued commitment to providing fast and reliable internet, Converge gave back to Filipinos by providing free speed increases to customers of up to 300 Mbps. However, Converge still has a few gifts in store to celebrate Christmas and cap off the year on an even better note.

As part of Converge’s second rollout of upgrades starting December 22, both existing and new subscribers of Plan 1500 will now get to enjoy a permanent upgrade to their plan without any additional fees, accompanying Converge’s free speed upgrades in their other consumer plans.

Subscribers of Plan 1500 will now also be able to enjoy an even higher speed add-on of up to 45 Mbps when they pay an additional P99. From the previously-offered 35 Mbps, an additional 10 Mbps has been added to the package free of charge.

NEW STANDARD RESIDENTIAL PLAN 

CURRENT SPEED	NEW SPEED	MONTHLY SERVICE FEE	MONTHLY SERVICE FEE
Up to 25Mbps	Up to 35Mbps	1500	As is

NEW ADD-ON SPEED

CURRENT SPEED	NEW SPEED	MONTHLY SERVICE FEE	MONTHLY SERVICE FEE
Up to 35Mbps	Up to 45Mbps	1599	As is

Subscribers will be notified via SMS or email of the speed upgrade. For them to enjoy the upgraded speeds, they need to ensure that their account information is up-to-date.

In an additional offer from Converge, new subscribers can also enjoy their first month completely free when they apply for select residential plans from December 12, 2020 to January 31, 2021.

With these free plan speed increases, Converge continues to strengthen its commitment in serving Filipinos and be a driving force in providing fast and reliable connectivity, addressing customers’ at-home needs.

#ExperienceBetter with the fastest growing fiber internet provider, Converge ICT. Visit convergeict.com for more details.

Converge ICT and UP Fighting Maroons to Provide Free Internet Connection to Remote Learning UP Students through Kaagapay UP, UP CHK

The University of the Philippines Men’s Basketball Team (UPMBT), through the NowheretogobutUP Foundation, and its newest supporter, Converge ICT Solutions, have pledged to help scholars from the National Capital Region and other parts of Luzon cope with the demands of remote learning.

Officers of UP’s Kaagapay Sa Pag-Aaral Ng Mga Iskolar Ng Bayan program, the UP College of Human Kinetics (UP CHK), and the UP Varsity Council have helped the fastest growing fiber internet service provider in the country to identify deserving students and student-athletes who will benefit from the project.

Kaagapay Sa Pag-Aaral Ng Mga Iskolar Ng Bayan or #KaagapayUP is a fundraising and resource generation campaign of the UP System that aims to help more than 5,600 UP students who are in danger of not being able to continue their education because of the COVID-19 crisis due to the demands of remote learning. Converge ICT will subsidize the internet connection of UP scholars from the NCR and Northern and Southern Luzon.

“We plan to support the most challenged UP students throughout the duration of the remote learning setup, or at the very least, for two semesters. Phase 1 of the initiative will provide internet connection to 30 student-athletes for the whole academic year. As the first semester has already begun, we will begin installation of pure fiber internet in their homes, as soon as possible,” said Converge ICT Solutions Founder and CEO, Mr. Dennis Anthony Uy.

UP, alongside other universities in the country, shifted to remote learning and online classes this school year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and some students have expressed they are having a hard time adjusting to the new set up, largely due to lack of connectivity.

“The transition to remote learning is no easy feat, especially for those who lack the ample resources to study from home. We hope to ease the burden of those Iskolars ng Bayan who are most in need, some of whom are student-athletes, by providing them with fast and reliable internet connection so they can adjust well to remote learning. This is one way of showing our commitment to uplifting Filipino lives, by helping them #ExperienceBetter. This is why we are supporting #KaagapayUP,” said Uy.

“We hope that, through this project, we can make this academic year more productive for the students. We at Converge and the UP Fighting Maroons have the students’ welfare in mind and we will join hands so we can all get through this hard time together.”

UP CHK dean Francis Diaz thanked Converge and the UPMBT for their thoughtful initiative to help student athletes. “Converge ICT’s offer to help is laudable and very well-timed because of the crucial need for connectivity during this remote learning phase of our new normal. Internet connection is at the heart of today’s learning process and is key to achieving institutional and personal educational objectives. This development is definitely deeply appreciated and most needed. The generosity of Converge will directly benefit a number of UP student-athletes who badly need this connectivity for their remote learning,” said Diaz.

For his part, UPMBT manager Atty. Agaton Uvero thanked Converge for their generosity to the UP community and their support for the Maroons. “We welcome Converge ICT as a new sponsor of the team and we thank them for thinking of the needs of many students and scholar-athletes during these trying times. The team is very happy to be a part of the project because they can directly help UP students and their fellow student-athletes. This is just the start of a fruitful partnership between the UPMBT, Converge, and the UP community,” Uvero said.

Fighting Maroons, TopBreed Seal Partnership Deal

The University of the Philippines Men’s Basketball Team (UPMBT) has a new major supporter on board after it inked a partnership deal with TopBreed Dog Meal Tuesday, October 13 as part of their continuous preparation for the upcoming University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) season.

TopBreed, formulated to satisfy the nutritional needs of dogs for health, general well-being and optimum performance, is a brand under Universal Robina Corporation’s Agro-Industrial Group (URC-AIG), one of the long-time backers of the Fighting Maroons through its premium farm products unit, Robina Farms.

Present in the memorandum of agreement signing are AIG managing director Vincent Henry Go, marketing director Jonathan Diño, category manager Julie Ann Climacosa, UPMBT manager Atty. Agaton Uvero, head coach Bo Perasol, and nowheretogobutUP Foundation founder Renan Dalisay.

“We are beyond proud to once again be part of the huge crowd of Isko and Iska supporting and rooting for the UP Fighting Maroons. We treasure this partnership with the UPMBT and the whole UP community as we share the same values of integrity, passion for excellence, innovation, and loyalty. Our parallel journeys have shown these values in action,” said Go.

According to Go, the name and reputation that the Fighting Maroons has made for itself mirrors that of TopBreed, the leading Philippine-made dog food brand in the country. The brand also produces top dog essentials like ShamPooch shampoo and TopB+ vitamins.

“TopBreed, just like the Fighting Maroons, has the same ‘never say die’ spirit, rising from the bottom to be one of the most recognized and respected teams today. This achievement mirrors how TopBreed went against internationally-known giant brands and won the hearts of Filipino furparents nationwide.”

Fighting Maroons head coach Bo Perasol expressed his gratitude to the Gokongwei Group of Companies for their unending support through the years.

“We cannot thank them enough. They have been here for us even during our dark years and up to now that we are still facing this pandemic. Their help will really give us a great boost in the upcoming season,” said Perasol.

“Like TopBreed, we were underdogs in our respective fields, but we have both risen to the challenge. We look forward to getting back on the court to give the best that we can for them and for the UP community,” the Maroons mentor added.

UPMBT manager Atty. Uvero also reiterated the team and the management’s gratitude to the Gokongwei Group for the help they continue to receive from the brands despite the COVID-19 crisis.

“We are truly grateful to URC AIG and another one of their brands - TopBreed - for continuing its support to the team despite the business difficulties in these pandemic times,” said Atty. Uvero.

“This partnership is far from the ordinary. This time, we can see the other side of the Fighting Maroons---as furbuddies or furparents. We have must-watch features on the players and coaches with their dogs. We can also catch them on an online pupper meet and greet where we can get to know them more,” said Go.

“TopBreed and UPMBT will also partner in delivering top care to campus dogs through a project called UP Doggo Day. This partnership has much in store for the whole UPMBT crowd,” Diño promised.

Lina Transfers to UP, Applies for VAAS Program

Former Gilas Pilipinas Youth stalwart Bismarck Lina is working on his transfer to University of the Philippines (UP) from University of Santo Tomas (UST), Fighting Maroons head coach Bo Perasol confirmed.

“[Bismarck Lina] is already processing his transfer from UST to UP. He’s just working on some papers and documents to complete his transfer,” Perasol said.
Despite coming out of high school, Lina, who was part of the UAAP season 81 juniors mythical team, will only see his first action with the Fighting Maroons in UAAP Season 84.
“Bismarck will also be applying for the varsity program for [UAAP] Season 84. He won’t be eligible for Season 83 since he has to be enrolled for at least two semesters in UP, but the first semester has already started so he has to wait until Season 84.”
The 6-foot-4 Lina, who tallied a double-double average of 16.6 points and 10.9 rebounds in his last season with the Tiger Cubs, will boost the Fighting Maroons frontcourt come UAAP season 84.
“We are very happy to welcome him to the team and we look forward to working and playing with him. Bismarck is a young man with a great fighting attitude and huge potential. For me, the one-year wait will be beneficial for him and for the team because we will have enough time to get to know each other and learn together,” Perasol said.
Lina will join fellow Tiger CJ Cansino and former Gilas Pilipinas U19 teammates Carl Tamayo, Gerry Abadiano, RC Calimag, and James Spencer in UP.
For Lina, it was a well-thought out and hard decision to leave UST.
“It is really hard on my part to leave UST. But all I can say is that I’m really thankful to the UP Fighting Maroons for giving me another home. I can’t wait to work and compete alongside them.”