Taking into consideration the increasing dip in 2G subscribers, mobile operators in Singapore will bring a closure to their 2G services from April 2017.The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) has approved the request from telecom operators.
Operators have been asked to smoothly migrate their 2G customers as per the plan and they have also agreed to let their 2G subscribers continue with the existing plan after migrating to 3G. Those customers still using 2G handsets will also be provided with low cost 3G phones.
IDA estimates that all three operators have 99 % nationwide coverage for 4G services and that outdoor street-level coverage for 4G crosses 98 % therefore the closing down of 2G networks will free more spectrum for 3G and 4G services.
The IDA has taken note of the rapid drop in 2G subscribers from more than 2 million in 2011 to just around 2,50,000 now, which is just 3 percent of Singapore's total mobile subscribers.
SingTel one of the big players in Singapore Telecom market stated that mobile operators will reach the remaining 2G users through SMS,calls and posters to advise them about the network closures.
