The World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19) has concluded and it has brought forth a set of impactful agreements from Member States concerning the use of radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbital positions. The agreements arrived at the Conference will enable new communication technologies while ensuring protection of existing services.
For SAMENA Council, which represents Telecom Operators and exercises its role in serving regional Regulatory Authorities as a sector-development partner, the core issue of the identification of spectrum to provide commercially viable options for the next-generation of mobile technologies, commonly referred to as 5G, going into WRC-19, was of immense relevance to the SA-ME-NA region's digital development efforts and national economic transformation goals, defined in various national ICT visions that the Council fully supports.
As was expected, new spectrum allocations have been agreed for 5G (IMT-2020). The global Conference not only identified additional globally harmonized (millimeter wave) frequency bands for International Mobile Telecommunications, but has opened doors to facilitate diverse usage scenarios for enhanced mobile broadband, massive machine-type communications and ultra-reliable and low-latency communications, such as those that will become the hallmark of smart-city implementation; sustainable communities; improved attention and approach toward climate change; healthcare management; renewable energy; and more efficient agricultural practices and food production.
Special considerations for protection from harmful radio-frequency interference were awarded to satellite services supporting meteorology and climatology that aim to safeguard human life and natural resources, and systems used by radio astronomers for deep space exploration. Steps were also taken to ensure that radio astronomy stations would be protected from any harmful radio interference from other space stations or satellite systems in orbit.
Some of the most notable outcomes of WRC-19 include:
- Additional bands for IMT identified in the 24.25-27.5 GHz, 37-43.5 GHz, 45.5-47 GHz, 47.2-48.2 and 66-71 GHz bands, facilitating development of 5G mobile networks.
- Additional frequency bands for High-altitude platform stations (HAPS) identified to facilitate telecommunications within a wide coverage area below for affordable broadband access in rural and remote areas.
- Regulatory provisions for WiFi networks revised to accommodate both indoor and outdoor usage and the growth in demand for wireless access systems, including RLANs for end-user radio connections to public or private core networks, such as WiFi, while limiting their interference into existing satellite services.
- Regulatory changes introduced to facilitate rational, efficient and economical use of radio frequencies and associated orbits, including the geostationary-satellite orbit.
- Standard approved to integrate ICTs in evolving Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to connect vehicles, improve traffic management and assist in safer driving.
- Non-Geostationary Satellites Regulatory procedures established for non-geostationary satellite constellations in the fixed-satellite service, opening the skies to next-generation communication capabilities, considering mega-constellations of satellites consisting of hundreds to thousands of spacecraft in low-Earth orbit are becoming a popular solution for global telecommunications, as well as remote sensing, space and upper atmosphere research, meteorology, astronomy, technology demonstration and education.
- Protection of frequency assignments for Broadcasting-satellite service (BSS) ensured, providing a priority mechanism for developing countries to regain access to spectrum orbit resources.
The fulfillment of grand sustainable development goals and our collective readiness to tackle the world's prevailing issues, which can be addressed effectively through the ICTs, will now be a function of the post WRC-19 spectrum situation around the globe. SAMENA Council anticipates that agreements achieved during WRC-19 will help bridge the rising digital divides across the three ITU spectrum Regions and will help steer accelerated IMT-2020 development across the SA-ME-NA region and beyond.
Source: Press Release