Key topics for the terrestrial radio future

Martin Fenton, Chairman, ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU‑R) Study Group 5

The World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC‑23) being convened by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) later this year in Dubai, UAE, will consider several vital questions related to future terrestrial services.

The ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU–R) oversees the preparatory work on terrestrial services for the conference through a dedicated group of experts — ITU‑R Study Group 5.

For the upcoming WRC, Study Group 5 and its working parties are looking at mid-band spectrum use, frequencies for unlicensed mobile applications, and other terrestrial services and applications, including modernizing and enhancing maritime emergency communications.

Mid-band spectrum use

WRC‑23 is set to consider several agenda items related to the use of mid-band spectrum — encompassing various bands between 3300 megahertz (MHz) and 7125 MHz — for mobile and wireless broadband connectivity. These include potential new or upgraded mobile allocations and additional identifications for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT).

IMT is the global standard created and maintained by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) that specifies the requirements for mobile communication networks, including current 4G and fast-emerging 5G systems. A framework for future 6G systems (technically known as IMT‑2030) should be ready for ITU‑R adoption at the upcoming Study Group 5 meeting in September.

Upper 6 GHz — IMT vs. Wi-Fi

Demand is also on the rise for mid-band frequencies for unlicensed mobile uses, such as radio local area networks (RLAN), including Wi‑Fi applications.

The upper 6 GHz band — spanning radio frequencies between 6425 MHz and 7125 MHz — is of particular interest to both the RLAN/Wi‑Fi and IMT communities. WRC‑23 is set to consider this band — which is already available for unlicensed use in various countries — potentially identifying it for IMT use between 6425 MHz and 7025 MHz exclusively in Region 1 (comprising Europe, Africa, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Mongolia, and the Middle East west of the Persian Gulf, including Iraq) and between 7025 MHz and 7125 MHz globally.

With both the IMT and RLAN/Wi‑Fi communities wanting access to the upper 6 GHz, the outcome of WRC‑23 could be crucial for both IMT and RLAN/Wi‑Fi.

Other terrestrial services and applications

Other agenda items for the crucial quadrennial conference include:

• Proposed measures to protect aeronautical and maritime mobile services in the frequency band 4800–4990 MHz for stations located in international airspace and waters.
• Use of high-altitude platform stations as IMT base stations (HIBS) in bands below 2700 MHz that are already identified for IMT.
• Regulatory provisions to enable sub-orbital vehicles to safely communicate with air traffic management systems and ground control facilities.
• Possibilities for allowing very-high frequency (VHF) aeronautical communications via non-geostationary satellites to standard VHF radios already installed onboard aircraft, particularly over oceans or other large remote areas not easily reachable with terrestrial systems.
• Provisions to allow unmanned aircraft (UA) to use fixed satellite service (FSS) networks and frequency allocations for control and non-payload communications (CNPC).
• Changes to the Radio Regulations (Appendix 27) that would allow digital technologies to use existing high-frequency (HF) bands (such as 2.85 MHz and 22 MHz) for safety-of-life applications on commercial aircraft.
• Potential new spectrum allocations (15.4 to 15.7 and 22 to 22.21 GHz) to the aeronautical mobile service for “non-safety” wideband line-of-sight data links.

Maritime emergency communications

Finally, the conference will discuss the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), the international system for automated emergency communication for ships at sea.

Today’s GMDSS — developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) — integrates both satellite and terrestrial radio systems and is supported by specific provisions in the Radio Regulations maintained by ITU.

WRC‑23 will consider proposals for the system’s modernization, along with e‑navigation and the introduction of additional satellite systems for maritime safety.

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