Q4/2019 - International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

World Radiocommunication Conference, Sharm el Sheikh, 28 October – 22 November 2019

The ITU World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC 19) was held in Sharm el Sheikh from 28 October to 22 November 2019. It was attended by 3600 experts from 165 countries. The conference took a large number of decisions in the technical field the impact of which will extend well into the 2020s and 2030s. The most essential ones include definitions of additional frequency bands for 5G services (IMT-2020) and technical measures to improve mobile communications between satellites and transport systems (aircraft, ships, railways, cars) as well as on smart cities, health care and climate[1]. 

ITU Report Measuring Digital Development, Geneva, 5 November 2019

On 5 November 2019, the ITU published its annual report “Measuring the Digital Development: Facts and Figures 2019”. The report documents substantial progress with regard to access to the Internet and mobile communications, but also outlines the deficits that still exist. Meanwhile, 97 percent of the world population live within the immediate reach of a mobile network. The number of Internet users has increased to 4.1 billion. On the other hand, there are still 3.6 billion people who do not have access to the Internet. According to the report, in the least developed countries only two in ten citizens use the Internet. High costs and lack of knowledge are the main barriers that impede the access. The ITU also notes a trend away from the computer to the smartphone; in a growing number of households the smartphone has become the most important device for accessing the Internet[2]. 

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Q4/2019ITU
  1. [1] ITU World Radiocommunication Conference agrees key parameters for future communication technologies: High-speed, super-reliable, broadband connectivity enabled with 5G mobile, next-generation satellites and high altitude aerial stations, ITU-WRC 19, Sharm el Sheikh, 22. November 2019: „WRC-19 identified additional globally harmonized (millimetre wave) frequency bands for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT), including IMT-2020 (otherwise known as 5G mobile), facilitating diverse usage scenarios for enhanced mobile broadband, massive machine-type communications and ultra-reliable and low-latency communications. This will unlock a host of applications facilitating Intelligent Transport Systems, creating smart cities and making communities more sustainable while allowing for effective climate action, improved health care, sustainable agricultural practices, and greater energy efficiency. At the same time, protections were accorded to the Earth-exploration satellite service (EESS) as well as meteorological and other passive services in adjacent bands, such as the space research service (SRS) to ensure that space-based monitoring of the earth and its atmosphere remain unhindered. Satellite services supporting meteorology and climatology that aim to safeguard human life and natural resources will be protected from harmful radio-frequency interference, as will systems used by radio astronomers for deep space exploration. Steps were also taken to ensure that radio astronomy stations would be protected from any harmful radio interference from other space stations or satellite systems in orbit "WRC-19 paves the way for new, more innovative ways to connect the world using both terrestrial and space-based communication technologies," said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. "As leading edge broadband technology manifests itself in new industrial developments, people in the remotest areas will also get better and more affordable access. "The hard won agreements at WRC-19 will favourably impact the lives of billions of people around the world, creating a digital landscape for sustainable growth and development," said Mr Mario Maniewicz, Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau. "The achievements of WRC-19 in enabling new communication technologies and the protection of existing services will be reflected in the continuous growth of the trillion dollar telecommunication and ICT industry." ITU World Radiocommunication Conference: https://www.itu.int/en/mediacentre/Pages/2019-PR24.aspx
  2. [2] New ITU data reveal growing Internet uptake but a widening digital gender divide, ITU Genf, 5. November 2019, in: https://www.itu.int/en/mediacentre/Pages/2019-PR19.aspx