Distort Monsters headlines Globe Platinum’s Pop-Up Store Launch for 917 #ExtraGDayEveryday

Globe Platinum collaborated with renowned contemporary and street artist Distort Monsters at the launch of the Platinum Series Hub for its first-ever pop-up store in celebration of the annual 917 #ExtraGDayEveryday in September.

Customers at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) Amphitheater were treated to the live mural painting of Distort Monsters, who shared inspiration and motivation for his craft.

 

Globe Platinum also prepared a surprise game at the end of the program to drive customers to the Platinum Series Hub, which is open until October 30 on the corner of 26th Avenue and 9th Street in BGC, Taguig City.

 

At the event, visitors were invited to a Monster Hunt and to follow the trail of signages from the amphitheater to the Hub, and snap and share all four monsterized ‘0917’ online with the hashtag #GlobePlatinum #OwnTheExtraordinary. All successful hunters won a P500 discount off their exclusive and very limited Distort Monsters merchandise and wearable art. 

 

To make their Platinum experience even more EXTRA, guests shopped for exclusive Globe Platinum x Distort Monsters merchandise while grooving to live music by DJ David Ardiente and enjoying specialty drinks curated from premium bottles of Diageo’s Rare and Exceptional portfolio, Mortlach 12-Year-Old and Singleton 18-Year-Old.  Customers were able to use their Globe Rewards points to redeem the drinks during Happy Hour. 

 

“We are delighted to provide our customers with exciting sensory experiences, introduce latest Tech Innovations, and allow them to feel how it is to be a Platinum VIP, giving them access to exclusive and one-of-a-kind perks like this. We are also grateful to our partners for giving their 100 percent to make sure our guests enjoyed this very rewarding event,” said Kaisie del Carmen-San Pablo, Head of Globe Platinum Business. 

 

The Hub also showcased Globe Platinum’s latest  innovation and first-in-the-market, Platinum ONE Plan. A lounge area was set up for anyone to test Globe Platinum’s Priority 5G network and UNLI Fiber and inquire about the Platinum service from stationed Relationship Managers.

 

Experience BEST-IN-CLASS service by visiting The Platinum Series Hub.  Guests can also enjoy Happy Hours with Diageo every Friday and Saturday.

 

G Day is Globe’s annual tradition of giving back to its customers. Exciting rewards and surprises await everyone until Oct. 30 to transform ordinary days into something extraordinary. 

 

Learn more about Globe Platinum and its latest Tech Innovations, Rewarding Perks and Best-in-Class service by visiting www.globe.com.ph/platinum 

Drag Race Philippines creates ‘herstory’ at Globe’s G Music Fest with First Complete Public Performance

“Pop off!”

Core memory unlocked for loyal Globe subscribers with the spectacular stage act of 12 glamorous queens from the popular reality competition Drag Race Philippines at the recently held G Music Fest.

It was a surprise for fans at the festival as the queens’ presence at the music fest was only announced the night before the event.

In celebration of Globe’s annual customer event, the most-awaited G Music Fest gave festival-goers a show to remember. Joining a star-studded lineup of local and international acts, the Drag Race Philippines Queens made “herstory” as they performed the complete “Pop Off Ate” version for the first time to a crowd of roughly 6,000 at the Circuit Events Grounds Makati on September 17.

Drag Race Philippines is the Philippine edition of the famous RuPaul’s Drag Race, a show that has drawn a cult following around the world. The show is produced by Fullhouse Asia Production Studios, Inc. in conjunction with World of Wonder Productions, Inc. Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, and RuPaul Charles serve as executive producers on the series.

The show features 12 queens— Brigiding, Corazon, Eva Le Queen, Gigi Era, Lady Morgana, Marina Summers, Minty Fresh, Precious Paula Nicole, Prince, Turing, Vinas De Luxe and Xilhouete— in a fierce battle to be crowned the Philippines’ first Drag Superstar. 

The show is available to stream on discovery+ and HBO Go.

The Queens’ appearance at G Music Fest was an unexpected treat for many fans, who said Drag Race Philippines’ contestants were the highlight of the night for them.

“Naiyak ako, nakita ko na sila. Gaganda nila,” one fan said.

“Is it just me being too emotional when watching “Pop Off Ate” being performed live by Drag Race Philippines Queens in #GMusicFest?? They’re making herstory! Kaka-proud!,” said another fan.

Other than serving fierce looks onstage, the queens also called for support for the Hapag Movement, Globe’s advocacy program on fighting involuntary hunger through technology.

In collaboration with their mobilization partners Ayala Foundation, Caritas Philippines, Tzu Chi Philippines and World Vision, the Hapag Movement aims to rally Filipinos behind a collective effort to help create sustainable livelihood opportunities and provide food relief to families in need through digital solutions, including Globe Rewards and GCash. A donation of just P50 affords one meal for the needy.

Bringing together the Drag Race Philippines Queens on the G Music Fest stage was just one of the many treats Globe prepared for customers on 917 GDay.

“The G Music Fest is all about extraordinary experiences, so we were delighted to see our customers enjoying their hearts out with the queens during the event. We hope that with the G Music Fest, we were able to banner local talents and opened the doors for more Filipinos to discover their passions,” said Jerome Patalud, Head of Globe Rewards.

The festival fulfilled its promise of bringing the best of the best in music, entertainment, culture, and arts.  Loyal Globe subscribers also had fun at experiential booths as they brought home freebies along with precious memories.

GDay, an annual event held every September 17 as a symbol of Globe’s iconic 0917 mobile number prefix, enables customers to get first access to on-ground, digital, and virtual experiences.  To watch and enjoy the festivities even if you missed the G Music Fest, visit the first-ever metaverse of GlobeXBud Virtual World.  Socialize with your friends and even take pictures for a 917 #ExtraGDayEveryday experience.

To learn more about GDay, visit  glbe.co/ExtraGDay.

Globe At Home Customers get 100 Mbps Average Internet Speed Under FREE Plan Realignment

Existing Globe At Home postpaid customers can now enjoy an average internet speed of 100 Mbps with free broadband upgrades, giving them greater bandwidth to accomplish their daily tasks and enjoy leisure time online.

“We always ensure to give our postpaid customers the right combination of value and price so they get the best experience. We realize this by providing them the best connectivity options in the market with the most affordable rates at the offered speeds,” said Globe At Home Brand Management head Janis Legaspi-Racpan.

As a testament, one user shared via Twitter a screenshot of a speedtest with a download speed of 353.35 Mbps and an upload speed of 320.56 Mbps.

“Perks of being loyal with @enjoyGlobe. Free internet speed upgrade,” read the tweet.

Another customer expressed appreciation for the free permanent Globe At Home Fiber speed upgrade. He shared a screenshot of a speedtest showing a download speed of 352.50 Mbps and an upload speed of 315.64 Mbps, more than twice the previous speeds.

Providing accessible and fast connectivity through GFiber plans is part of Globe’s mission to provide a #1stWorldNetwork to Filipinos nationwide and its goal to foster innovation and infrastructure to drive economic development, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Current Globe At Home customers who want to check for the right speed for their plans may file their requests via Globe At Home Facebook messenger.

Meanwhile, existing Globe At Home customers who want more than the free speed upgrade can also get up to 2x their previous speed for only a P200 add-on. They can upgrade online via https://www.globe.com.ph/broadband/plan-upgrade/request.html.

Those who want an upgraded digital lifestyle can choose between GFiber Unli 2399 and 2999 with speeds of up to 300 and 600 Mbps respectively. It is good for up to 15 devices that family members can use for browsing, email, video calls, downloading large files, video streaming in HD, multiplayer gaming, and enabling an intelligent home. They also get exclusive access to the VIP hotline for aftersales concerns on troubleshooting, billing, etc.

Customers who upgrade to GFiber UNLI plan 2399 (300Mbps) and GFiber UNLI Plan 2999 (600Mbps) will get two Huawei AX3 mesh units as part of the bundle.

“We are currently offering the most competitive prices for faster internet in the market, giving Filipinos access to first world internet speeds like that of Singapore, Japan, and Korea for their homes. This also helps improve connections within the home, bringing families closer as they create more moments and memories together,” Racpan said.

To learn more about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.

Converge Sustains Subscriber Growth with Revenues up 40% in Q1 2022

The country’s leading fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has grown its revenues by 40% to P7.75 billion in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period last year, on the back of continued strong residential subscriber increase and accelerating demand from enterprise clients.

In its first quarter financial and operations briefing to the media, Converge disclosed that it registered gross subscriber adds of 188,000 during the quarter, up 15% from the last quarter in 2021, leading to a cumulative subscriber count of 1.8 million, higher by 53% compared to its year-ago level.

Meanwhile, core net income grew to almost P 2.0 billion in Q1 2022 representing a core net income margin of 25.4%.  

“We are seeing a solid growth of our financials in the first quarter of 2022 and we expect to hit our full-year targets as we remain aggressive in our network rollout and marketing activities both in the residential and enterprise segments,” notes Converge CEO and Co-Founder Dennis Anthony Uy. 

Further propping up revenue growth is the continued increase in its Enterprise business which encompasses small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Corporates, Large Enterprise, and Wholesale. The reopening of the economy and gradual thriving of SMEs has aided the segment’s growth. Revenues for the Enterprise business amounted to P935.5 million in Q1 2022, 25% higher versus P749.7 million in Q1 2021. SMEs contributed 20% to the total, and by itself grew by 118% year on year. SME subscribers of Converge reached 25,810 as of March 21, 2022 - a growth of 200%.

"The revival of the economy and the return of businesses - especially SMEs - has given our enterprise business a push in the first quarter of the year. Moving forward, we hope to offer more value to SMEs as they continue to recover," said Converge President, Chief Resource Officer, and Chief Risk Officer Maria Grace Y. Uy. 

Converge continues to ensure Filipinos enjoy high availability, aggressively rolling out its fiber ports in Q1 2022 and reaching 6.5 million ports as of March 2022. This puts it on track to reach the accelerated target of 7.5 million to 8 million ports by 2023. 

Nationwide household coverage as of Q1 2022 is at 47%. In terms of homes passed, 12.2 million homes in the Philippines are serviceable by Converge, which is 70% higher than the same period in 2021.

Despite its massive network investments, Converge maintained an industry-leading return on invested capital (ROIC) of 17.3%, due to the company’s disciplined approach in deploying capital to expand its fiber network and tracking key capital efficiency indicators such as port utilization ratios. 

In the first quarter of the year, Converge acquired the Alaska Aces franchise and officially entered the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) under its own team, the Converge FiberXers in a bid to become a household name. 

Recently, Converge was included in the exclusive and highly-watched MSCI Global Standard Indexes, the only Philippine company to be included in its latest rebalancing announced May 12, 2022. This inclusion will become effective on May 31, 2022. This further broadens the exposure of Converge to international passive investors and stands as further proof of its strong market position. 

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The Converge Enterprise business encompassing small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Corporates, Large Enterprise, and Wholesale maintained its upward momentum in the first quarter of 2022 delivering 25% YoY revenue growth.

Converge opens its business center in Calapan, Mindoro as part of the Company’s Go Deep and Go National strategy. Converge continues to be the fastest growing fiber network in the country, having rolled out almost 645k FTTH ports in the first quarter of 2022 resulting in 47% household coverage across the Philippines, on track to reach the accelerated target to cover 55% of households by 2023.

Converge Reports Industry-Leading, Record Earnings with 9-month Net Income Surging 136% YOY to P5.2B

Leading fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. (PSE:CNVRG) on Thursday reported a net income of nearly P5.2 billion at the end of September 2021, more than doubling at approximately 136% growth over the P2.2 billion net earnings booked in the same period last year, amid continued strong growth in its subscriber base and sustained recovery of its business segment led by small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

In the third quarter alone, Converge added a record number of almost 280,000 subscribers, bringing its total residential subscriber count to nearly 1.6 million, 75% higher compared to the same period last year. This was made possible as Converge reached peak levels in its port deployment at over 650,000 ports in the third quarter.

“We have completed our nationwide backbone, allowing us to expand into new areas in the Visayas and Mindanao, while continuing to go deep into underserved areas in Luzon. We have also augmented our sales force so that we can serve a broader number of our people with world-class fiber broadband connectivity,” said Converge CEO Dennis Anthony Uy.

As of end-September 2021, the nationwide network of Converge reached more than 9.6 million homes, allowing it to accelerate its target to cover approximately 55% of Filipino households to 2023, two years ahead of the original 2025 schedule announced during the Initial Public Offering last year.

With strong and continued subscriber take-up, the consolidated revenues of the Company grew by 76.4% year-on-year to P18.8 billion in the first nine months of 2021. Revenues from the residential business grew by 94.6% YOY, almost doubling to P16.4 billion during the nine-month period. Residential average monthly revenue per user (“ARPU”) remained steady at P1,346. On the other hand, Converge Business revenues grew by 8.5% YO, to P2.5 billion, mostly from the SME segment, continuing the reversal trend seen in the second quarter of 2021.

With increased scale and cost management initiatives, Converge once again achieved a record EBITDA of P10.37 billion in January-September 2021, representing an increase of 86% from the same period last year. As a result, Converge was able to improve its record consolidated EBITDA margin to 55.1% during the nine-month period, higher than the year-ago 52.2%.

In September 2020, Converge started to draw down on its international capacity from the Telstra Indefeasible Right of Use (“IRU”) contract, reducing the need to lease additional international bandwidth capacity. This, together with prudent management of our other international lease agreements, resulted in a reduction of bandwidth and leased line costs from 8.5% of total revenues in 3Q2020 to 3.5% of total revenues in 3Q2021. This cost reduction offset the increase of other cost items such as network materials and supplies used, which grew by 75.5% from 3Q2020 to 3Q2021 due to the ongoing subscriber acquisitions.

Converge also continued to lead the industry in the efficient use of its resources for investments with its Return on Invested Capital (“ROIC”) further improving to 21.7% at the end of September 2021. This best-in-class performance is a result of Converge’s record net profits during the period and its consistently disciplined approach in deploying capital to expand its fiber network and tracking key capital efficiency indicators such as our port utilization ratios.

In the past quarter, Converge also completed its P6 billion, 1,800-kilometer subsea cable project with its final landing in Coron, Palawan, connecting the country’s major islands to its domestic fiber backbone.

As of September 2021, Converge’s domestic fiber backbone is at 90,000 kilometers, passing through some 440 cities and municipalities nationwide and introducing its broadband service to new markets including Iloilo, Cagayan, and Cagayan de Oro.

About Converge ICT Solutions, Inc.

Converge Information and Communications Technology Solutions, Inc. (PSE:CNVRG) is the leading pure fiber data network and internet service provider in the country. It is the first to run a pure end-to-end fiber internet network, providing Filipinos simple, fast, and reliable internet connection. Converge is ISO 9001 and CE2.0 Certified.