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Singapore's telcos to end 2G services in 2017

Xinhua, June 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

Singapore's telcos will pull the plug on 2G services from April 1, 2017, the country's three operators said in a joint press release on Monday.

The three local telcos Singtel, StarHub and M1 said that the majority of mobile customers are on 3G and 4G networks, only an extremely small percentage of customers remain on 2G-only mobile devices. On the current base, they will cease 2G voice, messaging and data services.

To cater to consumers' increasing demand for mobile data and faster access speeds, the spectrum currently used for 2G will be used to provide faster, more advanced 3G and 4G services, said the telcos.

They added in the statement that they will continue to reach out to affected users through various channels including SMS, calls and posters at their retail outlets, in the run-up to the 2G network closure.

In approving the three operators' request, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) said it took into consideration the evolving technology landscape and the migration of consumers to 3G and 4G technologies.

IDA said there are some 250,000 2G mobile users today, forming only 3 percent of the total mobile user base of 8 million subscriptions. The authority expects the proportion of 2G users to taper off in the next two years.

The three mobile network operators Singapore have achieved 99 percent nationwide coverage for 3G services and significant nationwide coverage of more than 98 percent at outdoor street level for 4G services, according to IDA.

Singapore is not the first country to end 2G services. Korea and Japan ceased offering 2G services in March 2012. Australia is expected to pull the plug on its 2G networks by the end of next year. Endi