ITU Assembly endorses IMT process for timely development
of 5G mobile systems

IMT-2020 to provide lightning speed, omnipresent, ultra-reliable mobile communications

Geneva, 29 October 2015 – The Radiocommunication Assembly today endorsed a Resolution that establishes the roadmap for the development of 5G mobile and the term that will apply to it: “IMT-2020”. The overall “Vision” for 5G systems, along with the goals, process and timeline for its development, is now in place.

The detailed technical performance requirements for the radio systems to support 5G will be developed, in close collaboration with industry and national and regional standards organizations, following the stringent timelines defined by ITU.

“The new ITU-R Resolution sets the stage for the future development of 5G mobile technologies,” said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao.

“The vision for IMT-2020 and beyond opens the doors to innovation that will determine how we communicate in the future, meeting the trend towards high data traffic in the Age of the Internet of Things,” said François Rancy, Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau.

Mobile communication has seen revolutionary developments and growth in recent years. New demands, including applications requiring very high data rate communications, many more devices with diverse service requirements, better quality of user experience (QoE) and better affordability, will require an increasing number of innovative solutions.

Low latency and high reliability communication, eliciting instantaneous response at a single click, is perceived as an enabler for the future development of new applications in healthcare, safety, business, entertainment, and other sectors. Future wireless systems envisage machine-to-machine (M2M) communication and the Internet of Things with applications for enhanced mobile cloud services, emergency and disaster response, real-time traffic control optimization and driverless cars using vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-road infrastructure communication, along with efficient industrial communications and smart grids.

The new 5G specifications will facilitate not only infotainment applications in shopping malls and at large public gatherings, where a large number of handsets and devices could be in use concurrently in a high data traffic situation, but also support professional use among the police, fire brigade and ambulance services using public communication networks.

User devices will have enhanced media consumption capabilities, such as Ultra-High Definition displays, mobile 3D projections, immersive video conferencing, and augmented and mixed reality displays and interfaces.

Recognizing that a connected society in the years beyond 2020 will need to accommodate a similar user experience for end-users regardless of whether they are on the move or stationary, the new 5G standards aim at maintaining high quality service at high mobility, enabling the successful deployment of applications on a moving platform, such as in cars or high-speed trains.

Media Information for the World Radiocommunication Conference:

- The World Radiocommunication Conference will be held 2-27 November at the International Convention Centre Geneva (CICG).

- Accreditation information is available in the WRC-15 Newsroom.

- Deadline for accreditation: 22 October 2015.

- UN Press accreditation is valid.

- Photo badges will be provided at Registration desks at the ITU Montbrillant Building on rue Varembé.

- Access to the meeting rooms will be restricted, subject to decisions of WRC-15.

For more information, please see www.itu.int/en/newsroom/wrc15/Pages/default.aspx or contact: