December 27, 2023 Results of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23)

The ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 20 through December 15, 2023. The main deliberation results are shown below.

1. Meeting overview

(1) Date: November 20 through December 15, 2023
(2) Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
(3) Purpose: Held every three to four years to amend the Radio Regulations (RR), the international rules governing radio-frequency spectrum allocation. Over 3,900 delegates from 163 Member States attended, including about 130 Japan’s delegates from Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), private enterprises, and research institutions.

2. Main deliberation results

(1) Frequencies for non-terrestrial networks (NTNs)
i. Use of high altitude platform stations (HAPS) as mobile base stations The use of mobile base stations on HAPS flying at around 20 km in the stratosphere is expected to expand mobile coverage, including mountainous and maritime areas, and provide rapid communication restoration in case of major disasters. Discussions were held based on proposals from Japan to expand the available frequencies.
As a result, among the four bands discussed, decisions were made to allow the use of HAPS as mobile base stations globally in the 1.7 GHz, 2 GHz, and 2.6 GHz bands, and in many countries, including Japan, in the 700 MHz band.
MIC plans to advance institutional developments for practical application.

ii. Initiating studies on possible new allocations to the mobile-satellite service for direct connectivity between space stations and International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) user equipment to complement terrestrial IMT network coverage
In order to expand the areas where mobile phones can be used and ensure network redundancy in emergencies, the resolution was adopted, based on proposals from Japan, to start studies on allocating frequencies identified for IMT bands (694/698 MHz - 2.7 GHz) to mobile-satellite service, enabling direct connectivity between space stations and IMT user equipment.
As the country proposing the resolution, Japan will continue technical studies and contribute actively to the studies in ITU, and will take necessary measures towards WRC-27 in 2027.

(2) IMT identification of new frequencies for 5G and Beyond 5G
Discussions were held to expand the frequencies available for the fifth-generation mobile communication system (5G) and Beyond 5G (6G), resulting in an agreement on the allocation of 6,425-7,025 MHz (for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, etc.) and 7,025-7,125 MHz (for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, etc.), which Japan supported.
Additionally, 4,400-4,800 MHz, 7,125-8,400 MHz, and 14.8-15.35 GHz, in which the band proposed by Japan is included, were agreed upon for further IMT identification discussions at WRC-27.

(3) Protecting existing services in Japan
Proposals were made by Japan to appropriately protect existing services in Japan from the impacts of agendas promoted by other countries, resulting in agreements reflecting Japan’s suggestions, which include the following matters.

• Agreement on the IMT identification in the 6,425-7,025 MHz band for mobile use in the Asia region, excluding countries that significantly impact Japan’s terrestrial services
• Agreement to retain Earth-to-space communications, which significantly impact Japan’s terrestrial services, as a secondary service in consideration of the upgrade of space research services in the 14.8-15.35 GHz band to a primary service
• Agreement not to review interference protection criteria from non-geostationary satellite systems to geostationarysatellite networks for future WRCs

(4) Future World Radiocommunication Conference Agenda
Following agenda items of high interest to Japan were agreed upon as future World Radiocommunication Conference agenda items.

• Frequency allocation for the systems on the lunar surface and in lunar orbit (WRC-27)
• Frequency allocation for space weather sensors (WRC-27)
• Examination of frequencies for Wireless Power Transmission (WPT) (WRC-31)
• Expansion of frequency allocation in the Terahertz band (275-325 GHz) (WRC-31)
• Improving the utilization of the VHF maritime mobile band (WRC-31), etc.