TECH4GOOD
The radio frequency (RF) spectrum is a finite and valuable resource that every thriving and inclusive economy would rely on for wireless communication services like mobile data, the Internet of Things (IoT), smart technologies, and more. For an archipelagic country like the Philippines, internet connectivity through wireless communication would be the most economically viable option for places not reached by wired broadband. As the number of connected devices and data usage continues to grow, efficient spectrum management would help ensure that there is enough bandwidth to meet the demands of the growing digital economy. Is the Philippines up to the challenge?
Spectrum management defines how different frequencies are allocated and used by various services such as mobile networks, satellite systems, broadcasting, aviation, defense, education, social and health services, and new technologies that require new spectrum bands. Efficient spectrum management, therefore, helps allocate the spectrum in a way that maximizes its utilization across different sectors, preventing inefficient use and minimizing interference. It will also facilitate the development and deployment of new wireless technologies.
Most of the recent developments in internet technologies, however, have rendered ineffective and inefficient the existing laws that govern spectrum use and allocation in the Philippines. Spectrum management in the country is anchored on the commonwealth-era Radio Control Law (RA 3846), enacted in 1931, and Public Telecommunications Policy Act (RA 7925), enacted in 1995 when wireless technology was mainly used for radio broadcasts.
The outdated provisions contained in those laws continue to limit the country’s ability to maximize the benefits and uses of new wireless technologies such as 5G and the soon-to-be-released 6G as enjoyed today by most of our neighbors in the region. The current system is also not conducive to promoting competition and more investment in the telecommunications sector, and innovation in the country.
Spectrum management plays a crucial role in improving access to key social and economic opportunities in the digital economy for all sectors of Philippine society. Wireless broadband is helping drive the digital transformation of vital industries such as healthcare, education, logistics, retail, and transportation, and has helped unlock emerging economic activities such as the gig economy and online shopping that rely on stable connections. An ITU report posits that an increase of 10 percent in mobile broadband penetration increases GDP per capita by as much as 1.5 percent among countries in Asia Pacific.
I remember the tagline we were using during my DICT days that says “Pag may wifi, may hanapbuhay.” It was used to promote the Rural Impact Sourcing program, our digital work initiative at that time, which was meant to provide online job opportunities for talents in the countryside.
In remote and rural areas where wired broadband is non-existent or too costly to roll out, mobile broadband becomes especially critical for communications, online learning, teleconsultation, entertainment, emergencies, and accessing information and government services.
Efficient spectrum management involves various techniques and strategies to ensure that the finite radio frequency spectrum is used optimally, minimizing interference, and maximizing its utilization. For example, regulators in other countries have used competitive auctions to allocate spectrum licenses to operators as this technique encourages efficient allocation by allowing market forces to determine the value of spectrum. Some have repurposed underutilized or outdated spectrum bands for newer technologies or services which can involve reallocating spectrum from legacy services to more efficient emerging technologies like 3G.
Today, many regulators are using a technique called Spectrum Aggregation that allows the combining of spectra across multiple frequency bands to create wider frequency blocks which can enhance data speeds and network capacity.
It is also given that efficient spectrum management would involve the use of better interference management techniques, the regular monitoring of spectrum usage to identify cases of unauthorized or inefficient use, and the development and enforcement of technical standards that promote its effective use.
Aside from promoting economies of scale and competition in the wireless market, applying best-practice principles can also foster innovation and drive digital transformation in various sectors of the economy by enabling new applications and services like cloud computing, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence to improve productivity, efficiency, quality, accessibility, competitiveness, and inclusiveness.
To make more spectrum available for internet connectivity and maximize benefits from new technologies, the time has come for the Philippines to undertake policy and regulatory reforms on spectrum management, The reforms can be a result of legislative work or through policy circulars from the DICT. Such an initiative is aligned with the strategy identified in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028 designed to facilitate the country’s digital transformation and improve its ability to leverage growth opportunities. ([email protected])
(The author is an executive member of the National Innovation Council, lead convenor of the Alliance for Technology Innovators for the Nation (ATIN), vice president of the Analytics and AI Association of the Philippines, and vice president, UP System Information Technology Foundation.)