Startup Stories

The Internet Provider That Changed the Philippines

In 1996, when most Filipinos were still unfamiliar with the internet, a young electrical engineer in Angeles City, Pampanga

By Malvin Simpson

November 6, 2025

The Internet Provider That Changed the Philippines

The Early Days

In 1996, when most Filipinos were still unfamiliar with the internet, a young electrical engineer in Angeles City, Pampanga saw an opportunity others missed. Dennis Anthony Uy, who had been selling video tapes and computers since high school, decided to start his own broadband and fibre optics business.

He called it ComClark Network and Technology Corporation. The business started small. But Uy, who held a degree in electrical engineering from Holy Angel University, understood the technology in a way most Filipino entrepreneurs didn’t. That technical background would prove crucial.

The BPO Boom

The timing wasn’t accidental. The late 1990s and early 2000s marked the beginning of the Philippines’ rise as a global outsourcing hub. Major companies like Accenture and Convergys were setting up large call centres in Manila and other cities. These operations needed reliable internet connections. The demand was there, but the infrastructure lagged behind.

For years, Uy focused on building out his fibre network in Pampanga, far from the capital’s spotlight. The work was slow. In 2007, he and his wife Maria Grace Uy incorporated Converge ICT Philippines, though it would take another five years just to secure the permits and regulatory approvals needed to start operating in Metro Manila.

Taking on the Giants

When Converge ICT Philippines finally launched fixed broadband services in June 2012, it faced daunting competition. PLDT and Globe Telecom dominated the market. Both were billion-peso companies with decades of experience. Converge was the underdog from the provinces.

But Uy had built something different. His company focused purely on fibre optic internet, offering faster speeds at more affordable prices. By 2013, Converge launched fibre-to-the-home services and entered Metro Manila properly. The company deployed its own end-to-end network, which meant it controlled the entire infrastructure from backbone to household connection.

Rapid Growth

The strategy worked. By 2018, Converge ICT Philippines had captured 56.6 per cent of new residential broadband subscriptions in the country, making it the fastest-growing fixed broadband operator. The company that started in a provincial city was now a national force.

In July 2019, global investment firm Warburg Pincus invested 225 million US dollars in Converge. The funding accelerated the company’s expansion plans. By 2020, Converge was serving around 1.8 million subscribers with over 35,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable covering more than half the country.

Going Public

In October 2020, Converge ICT Philippines went public on the Philippine Stock Exchange. The initial public offering raised 29.1 billion pesos (including overallotment shares), making it the largest IPO in Philippine history in peso terms. Converge’s shares were priced at 16.80 pesos each, and despite first-day volatility, the listing was oversubscribed by both local and international investors.

The IPO transformed Uy into one of the Philippines’ wealthiest individuals, with his net worth estimated at 1.7 billion US dollars. More importantly, it gave Converge the capital to complete its nationwide rollout. By June 2022, the company had achieved 52.1 per cent household coverage across the Philippines.

Continuing the Connection

Today, Converge ICT Philippines continues to expand. In 2023, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr appointed Uy as special envoy to South Korea for digital transformation. The company has expanded beyond the Philippines, starting operations in Singapore in 2023. Its subscriber base reached 2.35 million by mid-2024, with plans to hit four million by 2027.

What Uy built from that small room in Angeles City has genuinely changed lives. In a country of over 2,000 inhabited islands, where millions previously had limited or no internet access, Converge’s fibre network now spans over 390,000 miles. His vision of making connectivity affordable and accessible for all Filipinos has moved from aspiration to reality.

The story isn’t finished. As the Philippines continues to grow as a technology hub, Converge remains at the centre of that transformation. But the foundation was laid decades ago by an engineer from Pampanga who understood both the technology and the market better than anyone expected.