I had the honour to be elected to chair the WRC-97 held in Geneva for a period of four weeks from 27 October to 21 November 1997. The Conference involved 2000 delegates from 142 Countries. It addressed a wide range of issues of considerable significance to the further development of communications technology and services world-wide. Of particular satisfaction to me was the recognition by the Conference that it should facilitate the emergence of new technologies, especially new satellite based technologies, and services in a timely manner.

Preparation for Radiocommunication Conferences is the prerogative of each Member State individually but this Conference was one of the first to benefit from the coordinated preparation and submission of proposals by regional geographic groupings. This was further complimented by collective preliminary consideration of issues by an “Informal Group” of representatives from key countries and regional groups prior to the Conference.

The Agenda for the Conference included a large number of issues covering a similarly broad range of different services including broadcasting satellite service planning, satellite co-ordination, regulatory revisions, space science, maritime and aeronautical services, HF Broadcasting, high altitude platform systems and, especially major global satellite systems (eg non-geostationary systems operating in low-earth orbits).

Key results achieved by the Conference were:

• To establish a basis on which new non-GSO FSS systems can develop. The methodology was new and would be developed through further studies on sharing methodologies. The Conference confirmed the future for Ka band non-GSO FSS systems (for which WRC-95 had allocated 400MHz of spectrum in the 19 and 29 GHz bands to non-GSO FSS systems). WRC-97 allocated an additional 100 MHz in the bands 18.8-19.3 and 28.5-29.1 GHz to enable some particular major new NGSO systems to proceed through normal coordination arrangements (no pfd limits) and the waiver of the normal priority given to GSO Systems in these bands.
• A considerable proportion of Conference time was devoted to considering revisions to the Appendix 30 and 30A BSS plans for Regions 1 and 3 (originally established in 1977).The Conference accepted a new BSS Plan primarily to recognise the needs of new countries or those which have geographically or administratively changed since 1977. It also resolved to require further studies to enable a future Conference to re-plan on the basis of increased channels per country.
• There was a new allocation at around 47-48 GHz for “High Altitude Platform Stations”. This essentially enabled planning for this new technology to proceed subject to review of studies at WRC2000.
• A number of other issues were addressed or resolved including the adoption of regulatory “Administrative Due Diligence” arrangements to address the continually growing problem of “paper satellites” and increasing backlogs in the work of the Space Services Department in the Radiocommunication Bureau. Many delegates considered that such an administrative approach would not solve the problem but it was at least a start in recognising the need for a solution

The Conference was considered to be successful in achieving its objective of facilitating technologies and new services and to recognise legitimate claims for equitable treatment for countries subject to changed circumstances.

​Text contributed by Mr. Roger Smith (Chair of the 1997 WRC)