Just a couple of days after the resignation of Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Ivan Uy, the putative officer-in-charge of the agency has announced sweeping changes in the implementation of the government’s free Wi-Fi program.
In a statement on Monday, March 10, DICT undersecretary for infostructure management, cybersecurity, and upskilling Jeffrey Ian C. Dy said the overhaul of the program aligns with the current administration’s directive to review the sustainability of key DICT programs and broader rationalization initiatives.
“The current approach to the Free Wi-Fi Program requires reevaluation and restructuring. We are spending approximately P6.5 billion annually to provide Internet access to more than 7,000 locations,” said Dy.
“There are more cost-effective alternatives if we enter into long-term agreements. For instance, we are in discussions with a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) provider for a potential discount to enhance connectivity in schools. The provider has offered an aggregated 200Mbps (MIR) of Internet for 10,000 school locations at only P1.5 billion per year, provided the procurement is through a 10-year contract,” he added.
Beyond school connectivity, 40,000 additional locations have been identified for multicasting educational content, further improving digital learning accessibility nationwide.
Dy also said that Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed DICT to allocate P5 billion for the SIM Card ng Bayan Project, which aims to support the expansion of permanent cell site towers by subsidizing a portion of the cost for telcos and common tower providers.
The subsidy will be provided in the form of free 25GB Internet subscriptions for students within the coverage of these towers, said Dy.
At the core of the initiative is the Common Tower Program, which is designed to expand mobile network coverage.
As network infrastructure grows, the DICT said it can leverage these permanent towers to deploy broadband wireless access, further increasing the number of Internet access points across the country.
“The SIM Card ng Bayan Project offers a more sustainable alternative to the Free Wi-Fi Program,” Dy said.
