Converge eyes entry into gaming business

MANILA, Philippines — Businessman Dennis Anthony Uy plans to enter the gaming industry as a next step toward turning Converge ICT Solutions Inc. into an all-in one provider of technology solutions.

Converge  launched its streaming platform BlastTV that will be offered free of charge for all of its subscribers, putting it a step nearer its goal of entering the  gaming industry.

Developed together with TAP Digital Media Ventures (DMV) Corp., BlastTV will feature about 4,000 hours of content in its catalogue made up of foreign films and series.

BlastTV will host materials produced by global platforms like MGM Television, NBCUniversal Media, Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures. It will also become the streaming home of Studio Universal, a first in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia, starting Sept. 15.

Converge will make BlastTV available for every subscriber of its network for free. The platform is also expected to attract new customers for the broadband provider, which is looking to improve its port utilization this year to maximize its network of fiber lines.

“At the end of the day, we want to touch the whole market. We are now in the digital age, where those unconnected could be left behind. On top of digital infrastructure,  BlastTV is one of the value added services that we want to offer,” Uy said in an interview with reporters.

Uy is also exploring options on how Converge can enter gaming with the objective of making the industry as inclusive as it can be.

“We have some cloud platforms and new technology. We want to open the market. We have this new adaptive technology to open up more to the mass market,” he said.

Uy said that gaming in the Philippines right now can only be accessed by the high income segment, as games tend to demand the highest requirements to run smoothly. He hopes to change this trend once Converge forays into gaming.

Consumers can use BlastTV for free for as long as they are subscribed to any Converge plan. Uy disclosed that the platform will be sustained financially through promotional materials it will get from advertisers.

According to TAP DMV president and CEO Celinda de Guia, BlastTV can be accessed whether by computer, phone or tablet and it can be opened anywhere for as long as linked to a Converge network.

Down the line, Converge and TAP DMV aim to expand the content library of BlastTV.