Which Internet Provider Performs Better: San Miguel vs Converge Speed Tests

I remember the first time I switched internet providers here in the Philippines - it felt like entering a tournament where only one could emerge victorious. That tournament might've been short, but getting the right internet connection was still just as sweet as I hoped for it to be, one that sent a statement to the rest of my household that we finally had reliable internet. Having tested both San Miguel's SMC Fiber and Converge ICT Solutions extensively over the past six months, I've gathered enough real-world data to share some genuine insights about which provider actually delivers better performance where it matters most.

Let me start with download speeds because honestly, that's what most of us care about. During my peak hour tests between 7-9 PM, Converge consistently delivered around 85-92 Mbps against their promised 100 Mbps plan. Not perfect, but pretty decent considering the neighborhood congestion. What surprised me was San Miguel - their 100 Mbps plan actually clocked in at 97-104 Mbps during the same hours. I ran these tests using multiple speed test platforms over 30 different sessions, and San Miguel's fiber infrastructure appears less congested, probably because they have fewer subscribers in my area. The upload speeds told a similar story - Converge gave me 48 Mbps versus San Miguel's 95 Mbps upload, which makes a huge difference when I'm uploading video content for work.

Now here's where things get interesting - latency and stability. For gaming and video calls, this matters more than raw speed numbers. Converge averaged 18ms ping to local servers while San Miguel hit 12ms. That 6-millisecond difference might not sound like much, but when you're in competitive online games, you definitely feel it. I noticed Converge had more frequent micro-outages too - brief disconnections that lasted 2-5 seconds, happening 3-4 times daily during my testing period. San Miguel? Surprisingly stable with only two noticeable outages in three months, both during severe weather.

Let's talk about the real-world experience beyond numbers. Streaming 4K content on Netflix and YouTube was smoother on San Miguel - zero buffering incidents compared to Converge's occasional quality drops during peak hours. Working from home with video conferences revealed another advantage for San Miguel - their connection handled multiple simultaneous video calls in my household without any issues, whereas Converge sometimes struggled when three of us were on different calls.

The installation experience differed significantly too. Converge took five days from application to activation, while San Miguel managed it in just two days. Both sent professional technicians, but San Miguel's team seemed better equipped - they tested the line quality thoroughly and even optimized the router settings for my specific usage patterns. Customer service responsiveness favored Converge though - their 24/7 hotline answered within 3 minutes average, while San Miguel sometimes took 10-15 minutes during busy hours.

Looking at value for money, both offer similar pricing for their 100 Mbps plans at around ₱1,500 monthly, but San Miguel includes more consistent speeds and better upload bandwidth. If you're a heavy internet user who uploads content or has multiple users, that extra upload speed becomes crucial. For casual browsing and streaming, Converge might suffice, but honestly, the performance gap was noticeable enough that I'd recommend paying attention to your specific needs.

Based on my testing experience, I've personally stuck with San Miguel because the consistent performance aligns better with my work-from-home needs. The reliability during critical meetings and the superior upload speeds make the slightly higher latency worth it for my use case. Though I must admit - if Converge improves their upload consistency and reduces those micro-outages, they'd be much more competitive. In the end, choosing between them really depends on what you value most - Converge's established presence and decent customer service, or San Miguel's newer infrastructure and more consistent performance.