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CCIR / ITU-R Study Groups celebrate 90 years

90th Anniversary of CCIR/ITU-R Study Groups

2017 marks the 90th anniversary of the CCIR*/ITU-R Study Groups', a testimony of global collaboration to produce universally applied regulations, standards and best practices and enable the sustainable development of the wireless ecosystem.

Currently, more than 5 000 specialists, from administrations, the telecommunications industry and academic organizations throughout the world, participate in the work of the ITU‑R Study Groups on topics such as efficient use and management of spectrum/orbit resources, radiowave propagation, definition of future radiocommunication systems characteristics and performance, including fixed communications, aeronautical, maritime and land mobile communications, public protection and disaster relief, sound and television broadcasting, radiolocation, satellite communications and radionavigation, Earth exploration, meteorology, space science and radioastronomy.

As part of the celebrations, a series of events have taken place during the anniversary year of 2017, including:

- A High-level session of the WSIS Forum on "ITU enabling the wireless ecosystem" showcasing ITU-R Study Groups achievements at the Ministerial level which was held on 12 June, 16h30 – 18h15 at ITU Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland.

- A dedicated session at ITU TELECOM World 2017 "Enabling and shaping the wireless ecosystem" which was held on 27 September, 16h45 - 18h00 in Busan, Republic of Korea.

- A celebration in honour of the 90th Anniversary of the CCIR/ITU-R Study Groups which was held on 21 November, 16h00 - 18h00 during the 1st ITU Inter-regional Workshop on WRC-19 Preparation at ITU Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland.

Targeting primarily ITU membership, ITU-R Study Groups participants and delegates, specialized technical magazines, research institutions, media, ITU staff and the general public, these events highlighted the eminent role of the ITU-R Study Groups in enabling and shaping the overall wireless ecosystem and ensuring its sustainable development.

*CCIR - International Radiocommunication Consultative Committee

Workshop on WRC-19 Prep.

A celebration in honour of the 90th Anniversary of the CCIR/ITU-R Study Groups was held during the 1st ITU Inter-regional Workshop on WRC-19 Preparation on 21 November 2017 at 16:00 hours, in the ITU Headquarters, Geneva.

It was attended by Administrations who have largely contributed by their efforts and years-of-service to the 90-year history of the CCIR/ITU-R Study Groups: the former officials of the Radiocommunciation Bureau, the Radio Regulations Board, and the former IFRB, the former Chairs of the ITU-R Study Groups, including the Radiocommunication Advisory Group, the Conference Preparatory Meeting and the Special Committee, and of the former CCIR Study Groups. It was also attended by participants of the 1st ITU Inter-regional Workshop on WRC-19 Preparation

The keynotes speeches by the panelists addressed their vision of ITU's contribution to the development of the wireless ecosystem in their respective countries and regions. The session concluded on a general discussion and closing remarks by Mr François Rancy, Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau. It was followed by a cocktail reception.

The anniversary celebration was held in the framework of the celebrations of the 90th Anniversary of the CCIR / ITU Radiocommunication Study Groups (1927-2017) and the 111th Anniversary of the ITU Radio Regulations (1906 - 2017). The studies carried out in the ITU-R Study Groups since 1992 and previously in CCIR (International Radiocommunication Consultative Committee) are conducted by all spectrum stakeholders in the industry, research, academic and governments sectors and ensure that the eco-system evolves by adopting the most advanced, efficient and affordable technologies while protecting the investments made in spectrum all around the world.

PROGRAMME - 21 Nov. 2017, 16h00

Celebration of the 90th Anniversary of the CCIR/ITU-R Study Groups (1927 – 2017):

Date: Tuesday 21 November 2017, in conjunction with the first ITU Inter-Regional Workshop on WRC-19 Preparation, at ITU Headquarter in Geneva, Switzerland

Venue: Popov Room, ITU Headquarters, Place des Nations, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland

16h00 – Opening

Mr Malcolm Johnson, Deputy Secretary-General, ITU
Mr François Rancy, Director ITU Radiocommunication Bureau

16h30 - Panel discussion - The importance of the CCIR/ITU-R Study Groups activities and their contribution to shaping and enabling the global wireless ecosystem.

Panelists

• Mr Andrew Hudson, Head of Policy, GSMA
• Ms Aarti Holla, Secretary General, ESOA
• Dr Walid Sami, EBU (ITU-R Study Group 6 Vice-Chairman)
• Mr Petteri Taalas, Secretary General, WMO
• Mr Dominic Hayes, European Commission
• Mr Jeppe Jepsen, Spectrum Director, TCCA
• Mr John Zuzek, NASA (ITU-R Study Group 7 Chairman)
• Mr Harvey Liszt, Secretary, IUCAF
• Mr Uwe Baeder, Director - International Relations, Rohde & Schwarz
• Mr Timothy S. Ellam, President, IARU

17h45 – Presentation of the Commemorative Postcard

• Mr Valery Butenko, Director General, Radio Research and Development Institute (NIIR), Russia

18h00 – Conclusion

18h15 – Cocktail Reception

Who we are

The ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) is mandated by ITU Membership to determine the technical characteristics and operational procedures for a huge and growing range of wireless services and systems. Since 1927, the ITU-R Study Groups (former CCIR) also plays a vital role in the preparation of standards presented in "ITU-R Recommendations" for the management of the radio-frequency spectrum – a finite natural resource that is increasingly in demand due to the rapid development of new radio-based services and technologies, such as the enormous growth of mobile and related communications.

As such, the Radiocommunication Assembly 2015 (RA-15) approved a series of Recommendations and Resolutions for new and emerging technologies; initiated further studies for the development of global mobile broadband communications (IMT-2020) and studies related to wireless systems and applications for the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) as well as ways to improve the dissemination of knowledge concerning the applicable regulatory procedures for small satellites, including nanosatellites and picosatellites.

Per se, former CCIR and present ITU-R Study Groups thereby develop the technical bases for decisions taken at World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs) and develop global standards or Recommendations, Reports and Handbooks on radiocommunication matters.

The next WRC-19 is scheduled to take place from 28 October to 22 November 2019.

Furthermore, the ITU-R Study Groups (SGs) and their Working Parties (WPs) and Task Groups (TGs) meet on a regular basis throughout the year, and you may follow their activities here:

History

The 90th Anniversary of the CCIR / ITU Radiocommunication (ITU‑R) Study Groups occured in November 2017, to honour the anniversary of the signing on 25 November 1927, of the Final Acts of the International Radiotelegraph Convention of Washington, 1927 which created CCIR (see figure 1).

The "International Radio Consultative Committee" or "Comité Consultatif International pour la Radio" (CCIR) was founded in 1927 as part of the International Telecommunication Union at the International Radiotelegraph Convention of Washington, 1927.

CCIR's purpose was to carry out technical studies on radiocommunications. Until 1992, CCIR published international standards, reports and handbooks describing the best practices in radiocommunications, and in particular on the optimum use of spectrum. Among these, were the global standards for analog and digital television and sound broadcasting. CCIR Study Groups also conducted the studies in support of World Radiocommunication Conferences decisions on spectrum allocations and associated technical provisions.

In 1992, the CCIR was merged into the Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R), created by the Additional Plenipotentiary Conference in Geneva, as part of a reform of ITU to give the Union greater flexibility to adapt to an increasingly complex, interactive and competitive telecommunications environment. ITU's three main areas of activity were organized in "Sectors": radiocommunications,  telecommunication standardization and telecommunication development. 

Today, the work of the former CCIR continues to be carried out by the ITU‑R Study Groups, with an extended scope to cover the studies on regulatory and procedural matters for access to spectrum and orbit resources.

2017 Forum programme
Panel Session:

'Enabling and shaping the wireless ecosystem: Celebrating the 90th anniversary of CCIR/ITU-R Study Groups'

Wednesday, September 27, 2017, 16h45 - 18h00 , rooms 101-102

This session addressed how the ITU is continuing to work to enable and shape the wireless ecosystem and was held as the ITU is celebrating the 90th Anniversary of the CCIR/ITU Radiocommunication Study Groups (1927-2017) and the 111th anniversary of the Radio Regulations (1906-2017).

Since the last decade of the 20th century, the world has witnessed an extraordinary growth in the use of wireless communication systems. Today, mobile and broadcasting networks, satellites, radio relays, radars, drones, short range devices such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth are constantly providing us with the ability to access to, and exchange a wealth of information, that we are using seamlessly and rely on one common resource: spectrum.

The ITU has the mission to manage this resource at the global level and this session explored the key issues facing the wireless industry and how the ITU process of developing and updating worldwide regulations and standards contributes to enabling and shaping the ecosystem of radiocommunications. It also addressed how to further improve this process as radiocommunication technology continues to evolve at an ever-increasing speed.

The session was open to Leader Pass, Executive Pass, Forum Pass and Forum 1-Day Pass holders.

See full Programme.

Programme Description

Moderator:

François Rancy, Director, ITU Radiocommunication Bureau, International Telecommunication Union, Switzerland

Panelists:

Tony Azzarelli, Global Spectrum and Regulatory Policy, OneWeb, United Kingdom

Joe Guan, Head of Policy, Greater China, GSMA, China, Hong Kong SAR

Shola Taylor, Secretary-General, Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, United Kingdom

Uwe Baeder, Director - International Relations, Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG, Germany

WSIS Forum 2017: High-level session on 'ITU enabling the wireless ecosystem'

As part of the WSIS Forum 2017 hosted by the ITU, a high-level session on 'ITU enabling the wireless ecosystem', was held on 12 June 2017, from 16h30 to 18h15.

The overall WSIS forum theme for this year was 'Information and Knowledge Societies for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)'. The WSIS Forum was co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD with the involvement of other UN Agencies, including FAO, ILO, ITC, UNDESA, UNHCR, UNODC, UNEP, UPU, WMO, WIPO, WHO, WFP, UN Women and UN Regional Commissions. The WISIS forum gathered together over 50 Ministers and 30 Heads of regulators.

The programme of the high-level session on 'ITU enabling the wireless ecosystem' included keynote interventions by four players in the regulation and industry of radiocommunications. They highlighted how the wireless eco-system, which has become so important in our societies and contributes to virtually all the Sustainable Development Goals, has emerged and is flourishing thanks to the various activities carried out in the ITU to adopt international regulations and standards that promote efficient use and spectrum harmonization, enabling economies of scale and affordable service throughout the World.

These keynotes speeches were followed by interventions from Ministers and Heads of Regulatory Authorities, addressing their vision of the ITU contribution to the development of the wireless ecosystem in their respective countries and regions. The session concluded on a general discussion.

This session was also held in the framework of the celebrations of the 90th Anniversary of the CCIR / ITU Radiocommunication Study Groups (1927-2017). The studies carried out in the ITU-R Study Groups since 1992 and previously in CCIR (International Radiocommunication Consultative Committee) are conducted by all spectrum stakeholders in the industry, research, academic and governments sectors and ensure that the eco-system evolves by adopting the most advanced, efficient and affordable technologies while protecting the investments made in spectrum all around the world.

Attendance: Official Statements by Ministers and Heads of Regulatory authorities

Ministers and Heads of Regulatory authorities were invited to make three-minute statements at allotted times (and by alphabetical order) during the 'official statements' segments of the Special Session.

Subject: 'How ITU contributes to the wireless ecosystem' within the framework of the overall WSIS theme for the year 2017: 'Information and Knowledge Societies for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)'.

See full:

PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION - 12 June 2017, 16h30 – 18h15

High-level session on 'ITU enabling the wireless ecosystem':

16h30 - Opening address -  Mr François Rancy, Director, ITU Radiocommunication Bureau

16h35 - The Vision of Spectrum Regulators - Mr Eric Fournier, Chairman of ECC and Co-President of CEPT

16h42 - The Mobile Industry Ecosystem - Dr Shiv K. Bakhshi, Vice President Industry Relations, Group Function Technology. Ericsson

17h50 - The Satellite Communications Ecosystem - Dr Aarti Holla Maini, Secretary General EMEA satellite Operators Association (ESOA)

17h57 - The Vision of the Sound and Television Industry - Mr Peter MacAvock, Head of Distribution and Services, Technology and Innovation, European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Chairman, Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB)

17h05 - Statements by Ministers and Operators

17h55 - General Discussion

18h15 - Closing remarks - Mr François Rancy, Director, ITU Radiocommunication Bureau

 

Poster

Figure 1: Article 17 Decision of the International Radiotelegraph Convention (1927) on the creation of CCIR.
​

Media & Communications

90th Anniversary of CCIR/ITU-R Study Groups and 45th Anniversary of digital TV/HDTV studies

2017 marks the 90th anniversary of the 'CCIR/ITU-R Study Groups', a testimony of global collaboration to produce universally applied regulations, standards and best practices and enable the sustainable development of the wireless ecosystem.

This year 2017 also marks the 45th of digital TV/HDTV studies.

ITU-R Study Group 6 organized a special session to commemorate these significant events which was held in ITU Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland on 3 October 2017, 16h45 -18h00,

See full Programme.

 

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