SINGAPORE: Singapore’s three telecommunications operators said they would stop providing older second-generation (2G) mobile technology services in the wealthy city state from April 1, 2017, as rising Smartphone ownership has led to higher data usage rates.
“To cater for consumers’ increased 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,” Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, M1 Ltd and StarHub Ltd said in a statement.
The companies said only a very small percentage of customers remained on 2G-only mobile devices.
Singapore, with a population of 5.5 million, had an annual mobile phone penetration rate of 148 per cent in 2014, up from 92.7 per cent in 2004, according to the Infocomm Development Authority.
