Ministry of Science and ICT to Reallocate 310 MHz Bandwidth of 2G, 3G, and LTE

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] The Ministry of Science and ICT has decided to reassign telecommunications frequencies expiring next year to existing telecom operators without competitive bidding through auctions. This applies to 310 MHz bandwidth, which corresponds to 78% of existing frequencies such as 2G, 3G, and LTE, excluding 5G. SK Telecom's 2G termination frequency (10 MHz bandwidth) will be repurposed for 5G use.

On the 28th, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that after reviews and consultations through nine task force meetings, four research group meetings, and one radio policy advisory meeting, it decided to allocate 2G, 3G, and LTE frequencies by reassignment rather than auction. A ministry official explained, "After comparative analysis from the perspectives of user protection, service continuity, and efficiency enhancement, we made the final decision to reassign."

First, the 50 MHz bandwidth of 2G and 3G frequencies was deemed necessary for temporary reassignment to ensure continued service provision. LGU+’s 2G frequency (20 MHz bandwidth) will also be temporarily reassigned until service termination. Regarding LTE, the 270 MHz bandwidth is considered necessary for continued use at this point due to traffic trends (5G currently uses LTE frequencies), coverage, and transmission quality assurance. Considering the difficulty of expanding 5G broadband given the current frequency usage situation, the plan is to reassign all LTE frequencies for a certain period.

However, considering the decreasing LTE traffic trend, frequency utilization efficiency will be promoted by repurposing surplus frequencies for 5G use when they become available. Detailed policy measures will be prepared by the end of November. Oh Yong-su, Director of the Radio Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, “As the market environment gradually shifts to a 5G basis, multiple generations of services coexist, and communication networks are evolving into complex network environments using multiple frequencies simultaneously. We will strive for continuous technological advancement by the end of the year through frequency utilization efficiency and 5G transition promotion, and prepare detailed policy measures that minimize market uncertainty.”