The government must ensure that it will have ample radio frequencies once it starts pursuing its ambitious initiative of providing free Internet connectivity in the country, according to an alliance of stakeholders in the broadband sector.
Better Broadband Coalition Convener Mary Grace Mirandilla-Santos, in a position paper on the implementing rules and regulations (IRRs) for the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, said the government must guarantee the availability of spectrum for the rollout of its free Wi-fi program.
The position paper, which listed key business chambers and tech groups, was sent to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Officer in Charge Eliseo M. Rio late last week.
“The IRRs should already identify the spectrum to be assigned to the DICT in order to guide private-sector partners in the technology and equipment they can invest in, accordingly, and guarantee that there will indeed be enough and available spectrum for the seamless rollout of the free Wi-fi program in the coming years,” Mirandilla-Santos said.
The plan, under the law, is to bid out contracts for Intermet-connectivity services to private Internet service providers (ISPs), which will then provide free wireless Internet connectivity in areas in the Philippines.
Spectrum is the real estate on which telecommunications operators develop their respective network to deliver services to customers.
The amount of spectrum assigned to a telecommunications company has an impact on the cost the build capacity, overall network performance, ability to offer new multimedia services and general customer experience of wireless services. Spectrum is a finite natural resource that is necessary in providing wireless Internet connection. This includes mobile cellular, fixed wireless and satellite connections.
“The recent spectrum audit shows that most spectrum bands for broadband wireless access have been allocated to private telecommunications companies or telcos,” Mirandilla-Santos added.
Data from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) showed that existing telcos hold majority of the said real estate to date.
PLDT Inc. holds 400 MHz of the total holdings, while Globe Telecom Inc. has rights to 325 MHz.
What remains for budding telecom players is a mere 140-MHz frequencies in the 700-MHz, 850- MHz, 2,100-MHz, 2,500-MHz and 3,500-MHz spectrums.
“Spectrum is a crucial resource for the implementation of the free Internet access/Wi-fi program of the government,” Mirandilla-Santos said.
She added that aside from defining the specific spectrum holdings to be assigned to private partners for the free Wi-fi program, she signaled that the telco regulator must be open to reallocate spectrum to different players should the need arise.
“This should not stop the NTC, however, from assigning other or additional frequencies in the future that may be necessary for use by the DICT and the private-sector participants of the program,” Mirandilla-Santos said. She added that there are certain technicalities to technology that might cause the need for the refarming of the frequencies, and reallocating them to the players.
“ISPs and other private-sector partners may also apply for other spectrum that are appropriate for their own technological solutions, in relation to the free Internet access/Wi-fi program of the government,” she said.
Roughly two months back, President Duterte signed the free Internet access law or Republic Act 10929, which provides for the deployment of free Internet access in public spaces, such as schools, transportation terminals, plazas, hospitals and government offices.
The law is expected to help bridge the so-called digital divide, which is basically a gap between those who have access to the Internet and those who don’t. Such a divide has resulted in striking gaps in three areas: education, information and communication and finance.
It will require the government to invest roughly P7.7 billion in the program throughout the term of Duterte.