All available frequencies are with PLDT and Globe
If the long awaited third telco player ever does materialize in the Philippines, they’ll probably won’t be offering any kind of SMS services to their clients.
This was earlier revealed by Acting Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to the Inquirer, saying that there were no more available 2G frequencies available. All the 2G frequencies that are used primarily for SMS messaging have been allotted to PLDT and Globe.
He added that the lack of 2G frequencies won’t be a big hindrance, stating that there’s enough 3G and 4G frequencies available.
“I don’t think it will be a hindrance for a third player even if they don’t get these [2G frequencies],” he said.
Certain radio frequencies or spectrums are used in telecommunications to relay or transmit information ranging from SMS, voice and data. There’s only a limited amount available in the airwaves, which are usually auctioned off to telcos for their use.
Rio also said that the DICT was studying a policy for current telcos to share their frequencies, especially in areas that they are not service.
“If a telco would need some frequencies in a particular area, and [telco operators] have the frequencies but they are not using it in that area and they have no plans of using it in the future, then it can be re-farmed for the duration they are not using it,” Rio said.
