The 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference Concludes The Chinese delegation successfully completed its participation in the conference

Recently, the 26-day World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) came to an end in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. More than 3,900 representatives from the administrations of 163 member countries of the International Telecommunication Union, six regional telecommunication organizations including Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Americas, Africa, Arabia and the CIS, as well as relevant international organizations and well-known enterprises attended the meeting, a record high. At the closing ceremony of the conference, Xie Yuansheng, Deputy Head of the Chinese Delegation and Director General of the Radio Administration of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, was authorized to sign the International Telecommunication Union's World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 Final Acts on behalf of the Chinese administration.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for information and communication technologies. The World Radiocommunication Conference is the highest-level meeting of international radio legislation parties, hosted by the International Telecommunication Union, and is held every three to four years. The main task of the Conference is to revise the Radio Regulations, a treaty that is universally legally binding on the world, to regulate the use and management of international radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbit resources, and to develop corresponding rules and procedures, so as to make the limited radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbit resources more equitable, reasonable, economical, The conference also set up follow-up conference topics to determine the priority direction for the development and utilization of radio spectrum and satellite orbit resources in the coming period (5-10 years), and plan the radio spectrum and satellite orbit resources required in advance for the orderly development of relevant radio services.

After four weeks of discussions and consultations, the conference completed a new round of revisions to the Radio Regulations of the International Telecommunication Union, and reached consensus on new IMT (5G/6G) frequency allocations, new satellite systems for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, high-altitude stratospheric radios, spaceborne aviation dedicated communications, unmanned aerial vehicle satellite tracking and control, space weather sensors, space service rules, etc., to support technological innovation, deepen global connectivity, and strengthen maritime, Air and land security, promoting equitable access to and efficient use of satellite frequencies and orbital resources.

WRC-23 approved 43 new resolutions, amended 56 existing resolutions and deleted 33 resolutions. The main results of the conference are as follows: First, new spectrum resources including 3300-3400MHz, 3600-3800MHz, 4800-4990MHz and 6425-7125MHz (6GHz) have been allocated for IMT (5G/6G) in the world or region. Among them, the 6425-7125MHz frequency band, which is mainly promoted by China, has newly allocated 700MHz bandwidth spectrum resources in the 6425-7125MHz frequency band for IMT (5G/6G) for the first time in most countries around the world, laying a valuable resource foundation for promoting the high-quality development of the global 5G/6G industry. Second, phased progress has been made in promoting the Beidou short message service system to join the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), and the conference has adopted temporary rules and provisions to conditionally recognize the Beidou short message service system for GMDSS services. Third, a series of new resolutions have been formed in terms of the orbit tolerance of low-orbit satellites, the phased deployment of large-scale low-orbit constellations, the consultation mechanism for the protection of geostationary orbit satellites, the use of earth stations in the movement of the Ku and Ka bands, and the new frequency allocation and use rules for inter-satellite links, so as to provide international rules for the development of satellite Internet. Fourth, the spaceborne earth detection radar in the frequency band of 40-50 MHz has added a satellite earth exploration secondary service frequency allocation, which is used to carry out desert groundwater, sediment and polar ice sheet detection, the addition of a major allocation of space research services in the frequency band 14.8-15.35 GHz to improve the efficiency of data return and emergency response capabilities for space science services, the addition of a major allocation of the Earth exploration satellite service (EESS) (passive) in the 239-247 GHz band for the detection of ice clouds to lay the foundation for accurate weather forecasting and climate change response, and the regulation of non-geostationary fixed-orbit satellite space stations in the 37.5-38 GHz bandto protect the Earth exploration-satellite service in the band 36-37 GHz from non-geostationary satellite-fixed-service space stations. Fifthly, IMT base stations (HIBS) in the 2 GHz and 2.6 GHz bands for high-altitude platform stations have been identified to help bridge the digital divide in remote and rural areas, new aeronautical mobile service allocations have been adopted in the bands 15.41-15.7 GHz and 22-22.2 GHz to facilitate non-safe aeronautical applications, and 41 countries have been allowed to access new orbital resources that can be used for satellite broadcasting, so as to promote the equitable and rational development and utilization of satellite frequencies and orbital resources. Sixth, new frequencies in the band 117.975-137 MHz have been allocated for the LEO aeronautical-satellite mobile service to enhance ground-to-air dedicated communications for pilots and air traffic controllers in the ocean and remote areas. Enhanced protection against interference from the use of frequencies in the amateur service and the amateur-satellite service in the band 1240-1300 MHz against the radionavigation-satellite service in the same band。 Recognition of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) to adopt Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) as the de facto time standard by 2035.

The conference also set up the topics of the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2027 and 2031, involving the use of mobile phone direct satellite and S-band non-terrestrial network (NTN) frequencies, low-rate satellite mobile communications, continuing to add new frequency allocations for IMT (5G/6G), lunar surface communications, radio astronomy quiet zone protection, satellite earth exploration frequency use, etc., and determined the key directions for the development and utilization of global radio spectrum and satellite orbit resources in the next 5 to 10 years, so as to adapt to 6G space-ground integrated communication, The demand for radio frequencies and satellite orbit resources for the sustainable development of satellite Internet and Internet of Things.

During the meeting, the Chinese delegation actively carried out international exchange activities, and in the name of the competent authorities, the senior management of the International Telecommunication Union, the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Iran, Switzerland, Oman, India, Japan, North Korea, Luxembourg, Ghana, Tonga, Rwanda, Samoa and other national radio authorities, More than 50 bilateral exchanges were held between relevant international organizations and regional telecommunication organizations, and the participants had an in-depth exchange of views on WRC-23 topics of common concern, so as to further enhance understanding, narrow differences and build consensus. At the same time, the WRC-23 Chinese delegation reception was successfully held to introduce the application and promotion of China's 5G and Beidou systems, which was attended by more than 600 representatives from more than 100 countries of the International Telecommunication Union, relevant international organizations and enterprises.

During the nearly one-month meeting, the Chinese delegation fully and deeply participated in the research and discussion of various topics of the conference, put forward China's solutions, contributed China's wisdom, provided constructive solutions to issues of general concern to all participants, promoted the formation of common positions of all countries, and made positive contributions to the fruitful results of WRC-23.

The closing ceremony of the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference

Edited by Song Yuting