The Philippines' government is preparing to ramp up the retirement of 2G and 3G mobile services in the country.
As reported by local media outlet Philstar Global, the country's Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) wants to focus on 4G and 5G technologies instead.
Philstar reports that the government wants to modify the spectrum allocation for mobile networks starting this year, as soon as the Konektadong Pinoy Act is signed into law.
That particular act is tipped to overhaul the telecommunications sector in the country.
The Konektadong Pinoy Act aims to improve Internet services across the country while bolstering Internet access in underserved areas.
It's also looking to make it easier for new providers to enter the market through a simplified licensing process.
DICT estimates that at present, 2G and 3G users account for only 15 percent of the total mobile subscribers in the country. The three main telecom providers in the country are Globe Telecom, PLDT, and Dito Telecommunity.
Information Secretary Henry Aguda said this number is low enough to justify the retirement of those technologies.
"It is important to undertake frequency refarming because in the world, the Philippines is close to becoming the only country still offering 2G and 3G. We have to retire them so that the frequency can be placed on 4G and 5G,” said Aguda.
He added that the country doesn't want to enter the 6G era with 2G and 3G networks still in operation.
Telcos and governments across the world have pushed to move on from the legacy networks, in particular 3G, which is significantly less energy efficient than 4G and 5G technology.
Source: https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/philippines-prepares-for-2g-and-3g-switch-off/
