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THE National Telecommunications Commission plans to reallocate the
unused television frequencies to mobile wireless broadband networks
for end-users in rural areas.
Ruel V. Canobas, NTC chief, said the
agency is studying the TV spectrum that can be reallocated to
wireless broadband access prior to the full migration to digital TV
and after full migration.
Under the NTC’s updated Medium Term
Philippine Development Plan for 2008 to 2010, the agency wants a
100-percent broadband network services provided in all
municipalities by 2010.
As of last year, 844 municipalities or
51.78 percent of targeted areas have been provided with Internet
Access Points, while 786 municipalities have no access. On the other
hand, the number of government agencies with Internet connections
stood at 79 percent.
The NTC’s blueprint said the development
of the country’s digital infrastructure will be accelerated
through continuously optimizing the participation or partnership
with the private sector.
“When digital TV is fully implemented by
2015 as proposed, there will be TV broadcast frequencies that can be
released for broadband wireless access networks,” Canobas said.
He said that the digital TV is frequency
efficient, adding that one digital TV channel requires much less
than the 6 megahertz (MHz) band assignment to one analog TV channel.
-- Darwin G. Amojelar
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