In a press conference, PLDT, Inc. announced it would terminate its third-generation (3G) network services by 2023.
Mario Tamayo, PLDT Network head, stated that the company wanted to maximize its spectrum through other technologies.
PLDT’s chief finance officer Annabelle Chua said the shutdown of 3G was an opportunity for the company to ‘optimize our network’ as less than 5% of devices are currently using the 3G network.
Aside from that, Alfredo Panlilio told reporters that only 4% of PLDT-Smart subscribers were on the three-generation network, and the market was prepared to phase it out.
Bringing 2G users to 4G will be the more significant challenge, Panlilio said, even though it is an easier transition from 3G to 4G.
What would happen if the 3G network went down?
Keeping it maintained costs money. Network carriers are looking to free up wireless spectrum by getting rid of old legacy technology — Ian Fogg, Vice President of Analysis at Mobile Analytics Company Opensignal.
Most countries have switched off older masts to make room for newer technology networks like 4G/ 5G; some 3G spectrum can even be used for 4G.
The network access for older devices such as feature phones and older smartphones that rely on 3G service may be unavailable. This means you won’t be able to make and receive phone calls and text messages or use mobile data (via HSPA or HSPA+). The service may also be lost for car alarm systems and navigation systems.
While these phones use a 2G network, they can still perform those mentioned tasks at a slower speed (GPRS or EDGE). Some older smartphones are still capable of connecting to the internet via WiFi.
