WRC-23: Week-1 Summary

| November 26, 2023

WRC-23 finished its first week with all current agenda items underway and an early discussion on new ones for WRC27/31. Amateur interests have been cropping up on a wide front   – both 23cm and other bands from HF to mmWaves.

As previously reported, AI-9.1b on 1240-1300MHz has seen Recommendation ITU-R M.2164 released just beforehand. A third meeting on AI-9.1b on Friday (Day-5) was again nowhere near consensus, with CEPT again keen to turn the recommendation into a globally mandated measure. The latter is of considerable concern as it would leave no flexibility at national level, rather than the ‘guidance’ from the basic recommendation itself. A broader view held by some others is that 9.1x items are just intended for ITU-Reports etc and not meant to change the Radio Regulations treaty.

 

Friday concluded with the first discussion on the AI-10 WRC-27 Space Weather item, with a series of amateur bands in a provisional list (28, 51, 220 MHz), though it is early days on that.

Agenda Items Summary

Overall the main ones being tracked with amateur matters are as follows:-

  • AI-1.2  – 3.3 and 10GHz for mobile broadband
  • AI-1.12  – 40-50 MHz satellite radar sounders
  • AI-1.14  – 240GHz  for earth sensing satellites
  • AI 9.1a  – Space Weather (recognition)
  • AI-9.1b  – RNSS and Amateur Services in 1240-1300 MHz
  • AI-9.2  – Amateur footnote and Amateur Satellite Service definition updates
  • AI-10  – WRC-27/31 Future Agenda –  primary frequencies for Space weather sensors and 6G mobile broadband – and may be more

The scope for each topic is defined in a resolution and most of these can be found on our main WRC-23 Focus page. There is a notably higher element of Science/Climate Change related topics compared to WRC-19, but there remain plenty of other large topics associated with satellite constellations and mobile broadband.

The role of Regional Telecom Organisations

It is worth noting that whilst countries are represented individually at ITU, their Regional Telecom Organisations (RTOs) also play a significant role in terms of their coordination and positions. The keys ones at WRC are:-

  • APT – Asia-Pacific
  • ASMG – Arab states
  • ATU  – Africa
  • CEPT – Europe
  • CITEL – Americas
  • RCC – Russia and some countries of the former Soviet Union

In this regard the CEPT Week-1 Progress Report gives some useful detail and insights, from their point of view.

IARU like a number of other bodies  and companies effectively have Observer status, and does try to engage with all the RTOs.

With progress slow on most matters, some items had extra meetings scheduled on Saturday to make headway ahead of their Week-2 schedule targets. Early signs are that progress may still be challenging.

The RSGB’s social media and special focus page at rsgb.org/wrc-23 will feature regular postings whilst the conference is underway.

 

Category: Front Page News, WRC-23