CITC and ITU's spectrum innovation webinar tackles pressing policy issues

The “Radio Spectrum for IMT-2020 and Beyond: Fostering Commercial and Innovative Use” event, co-organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) of Saudi Arabia, concluded December 10, with a wide participation of dozens industry experts from over 20 countries. The speakers gave their thoughts on the latest spectrum innovations and opportunities for policy makers, to over 5000 virtual attendees.

The three-day webinar came at a critical time for digitalization and spectrum management. The COVID-19 pandemic has moved work, education, healthcare and social life onto digital platforms, which require large amounts of spectrum uptake and strong digital infrastructure. Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Abdullah Alswaha, acknowledged the importance of addressing the growing global digital divide, “We are potentially looking at a polarization between the connected and unconnected worlds. Today, lack of digital infrastructure means that kids might not receive the right education while households could be prevented access to basic healthcare, clean water and energy, among other needs. This is why it is so critical for us to come together as the greatest thinkers and doers in the world in the spectrum arena and find policy solutions to our times’ challenges.”

The speakers explored the potential of 5G, vehicular communication systems, unlicensed technologies, satellite communications, and other exciting developments in the ICT sector. Ajit Pai, Chairman of the United States Federal Communications Commission, spoke about how these new technologies will impact our future, “Everyone’s talking about 5G because of its potential to grow our economies and dramatically improve people’s lives around the world. Soon these next generation technologies, the wireless networks of the future, will affect every aspect of our economy and society, from businesses to homes, from transportation networks to power grids and from hospitals to manufacturing.”

One of the most interesting innovations in the sector is the progress and integration of satellite communication systems. "Satellite communication has now entered the mainstream, in terms of its commercial sweet spot, and it is ready to be considered alongside terrestrial technologies such as fiber, microwave, Wi-Fi and mobile, to drive global broadband adoption," stated Rupert Pearce, CEO of Inmarsat, a leading British satellite telecommunications company.

Overall, the webinar stressed on the need for a global standard and multilateral cooperation in spectrum management and integration, in line with the ITU’s newly launched worldwide technology standards IMT-2020. The UN’s specialized agency for ICT was represented by its Secretary-General Houlin Zhao, who thanked CITC for hosting the event. He went on to state, “I call on all of you to join us and make the most of this historical moment to deploy technologies like 5G that promises to improve people’s lives on a scale never seen before”.

For those who missed the webinar, the organizers have made the videos and presentations available on the event’s digital platforms, which can be accessed at the link below.