MANILA – The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) plans a major overhaul of its Free Wi-Fi Program due to high costs and inefficiencies in its current implementation.
DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy announced on Monday (10 Mar 2025) that the program requires reevaluation and restructuring to adopt a more cost-effective approach. The government allocates PHP 6.5 billion annually to provide internet access across over 7,000 locations. However, Dy highlighted that more affordable alternatives are available, such as long-term agreements with internet service providers.
“For example, we are in discussions with a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) provider who has proposed offering 200Mbps of internet for 10,000 school locations at just PHP 1.5 billion per year, contingent upon a 10-year contract,” Dy explained. This potential deal could significantly improve connectivity in schools nationwide.
In addition to enhancing school internet access, the DICT plans to expand the use of 40,000 locations for broadcasting educational content to boost digital learning across the country.
The department is also focusing on expanding mobile network coverage. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed the DICT to allocate PHP 5 billion for the SIM Card ng Bayan Project, which will fund the construction of permanent cell towers. The initiative aims to subsidize a portion of the costs for telecommunications companies and tower providers, offering 25GB of free internet subscriptions to students in areas covered by the towers.
With this shift in focus, DICT sees the Common Tower Program as a more sustainable long-term solution for improving mobile network coverage and broadband access, making it a viable alternative to the Free Wi-Fi Program.
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