APAC needs transparent spectrum policies to drive digital transformation: ITU

Countries across Asia and the Pacific need fair, transparent, and predictable spectrum policies to accelerate equitable digital transformation across the region, according to radiocommunication experts convened by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) over the last two weeks.

Regulators, industry experts and academics met between 11 and 22 October to discuss future Asia-Pacific radio-frequency spectrum requirements following Radio Regulations updates at the last World Radiocommunication Conference, WRC-19, held in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Participants at the ITU Regional Radiocommunication Seminar 2021 for Asia and the Pacific (RRS-21 Asia-Pacific), held in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity, reviewed the last updates to the Radio Regulations, the key international treaty governing radio spectrum management.

"Radiocommunication services profoundly transform the way we work, travel, do business and access public services, including education and health," said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. “The Regional Radiocommunication Seminars provide an excellent opportunity for our members to learn the practical application of the ITU Radio Regulations, so that people everywhere can take advantage of the social and economic opportunities brought about by the rapid growth of digital platforms."

The regional seminar, convened entirely online, covered the regulatory framework for both terrestrial and space services and the procedures for filing and recording frequency assignments in the Master International Frequency Register (MIFR).

Masanori Kondo, Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity, welcomed the discussions as “an opportunity for regulators to widen and deepen their knowledge and insight in the field of spectrum management." He emphasized the need for Asia-Pacific countries to develop fair, predictable, and transparent spectrum management policies and regulations to keep their diverse and geographically extensive telecommunication sector functioning effectively.

ITU support and guidance

Participants discussed the current regulatory framework for international frequency management, ITU Radiocommunication (ITU-R) Recommendations, and best practices for spectrum use by both terrestrial and space services.

“Despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to deliver high quality capacity building opportunities to our members, supporting them with all the information and tools they need to analyse and implement the Radio Regulations and promote efficient spectrum management," said Mario Maniewicz, Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau.

RRS-21 Asia-Pacific also included basic training to prepare for technical examinations and gain familiarity with ITU tools to produce frequency notices.

Various tutorials enabled participants to familiarise themselves with ITU notification procedures, as well as with key software and electronic publications available to ITU Member State Administrations and ITU-R Members.

RRS-21 Asia-Pacific concluded with a forum: "Radiocommunication trends: Opportunities and challenges for the Asia-Pacific region", in which telecom industry representatives shared their insights with ITU Member States to help accelerate radiocommunications development.

Panel sessions in the forum spanned trends in digital broadcasting, broadband satellites (GSO, non-GSO and small satellites), national plan frameworks for emergency telecommunications, an update on the International Mobile Telecommunications-2020 (IMT-2020) standard, and the agenda for regional contributions to the next World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC).

The seminar drew about 370 participants from more than 40 countries, including representatives of the telecommunication industry, operators, associations, and academia from the Asia-Pacific region, along with experts from eight other regional and international organizations​.

Build-up to WRC-23

Regional Radiocommunication Seminars aim to assist ITU Member States in spectrum management activities and the application of the ITU Radio Regulations, with special attention to developing countries. This regional engagement complements the larger, biennial, World Radiocommunication Seminars, in which all ITU countries and regions can adequately prepare for the WRC.

WRC-23 brings the next update to the Radio Regulations in the four-year global ITU-R conference cycle.