FREE Wi-Fi. DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista (front row left) and Converge CEO and co-founder Dennis Anthony Uy show the memorandum of agreement that will provide free Wi-Fi services in passenger terminals of nine international and domestic airports across the country. Bautista and Uy say the program will improve connectivity services in airports and will ensure that people have a great experience in these facilities. (Photo courtesy of Converge)
MANILA – The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and fiber broadband provider Converge have inked a partnership to provide free WIFI services in passenger terminals of nine international and domestic airports across the country.
In a media bulletin Friday, the DOTr said the project’s memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed between DOTr, Converge, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), and Davao International Airport on Thursday.
The program will provide free public Wi-Fi at the arrival and departure areas of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Davao International Airport and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.
It will also cover the Bacolod-Silay Airport, Iloilo International Airport, Laoag International Airport, Pagadian Airport, Tacloban Airport and Zamboanga International Airport -- all operated by CAAP
DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said the agreement will improve connectivity services in the said airports, aside from providing free Wi-Fi to passengers in the arrival, departure and passenger terminal areas.
“This joint project with Converge signifies our commitment to improving the connectivity services in our transport facilities, particularly in our airports. We are launching this initiative to provide connectivity to our passengers through digital technology,” Bautista said.
In a separate statement, Converge CEO and co-founder Dennis Anthony Uy said the project aims to leave a “positive impression” on the Philippines for tourists and local travelers alike.
“As an ICT (information and communications technology) company, we recognize our role in providing the connectivity and the right technology to ensure that people have a great experience in these facilities,” Uy said.
Under the agreement, Converge will provide free internet services for 120 minutes a day per registered user with a minimum speed of 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) at 80 percent reliability.
Converge was given 90 days from the signing of the MOA to come up with a roll-out plan for the program, with the first Wi-Fi network expected to be launched by the first quarter of 2023. (PNA)
