6G standards kick off WRC-23

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) this week adopted a resolution intended to guide the development of a 6G standard.

Specifically, the ITU-R Resolution 65 paves the way for “studies on the compatibility of current regulations with potential 6th generation IMT radio interface technologies for 2030 and beyond.”

IMT stands for International Mobile Telecommunications, which is the term used by the ITU to describe technologies like 3G and 5G. The latest member of the IMT family is IMT-2020, which essentially set the stage for the 3GPP to develop the actual technological standards for 5G.

Founded in 1865, the ITU is the United Nations’ agency for telecom. Its job is to help organize the world’s communications networks, specifically focusing on allocating radio spectrum, managing satellite orbits and developing technical standards for connectivity.

The ITU’s latest resolution on 6G is in part designed to move the 6G issue forward at the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23), which started this week in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to a release from the UAE, the WRC-23 will include 4,500 delegates from 193 countries and 900 international organizations and universities. “At this crucial historical juncture marked by intertwined complexities, your esteemed conference emerges as a pivotal force to recalibrate the trajectory and guide the compass toward human development and sustainable progress. It aims to build a global consensus concerning radio regulations and frequencies essential for the forthcoming era, unveiling expansive horizons in areas such as smart cities, digital economy, knowledge society, space and more,” explained Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, a regulator for the UAE, in a release.

UAE officials aren’t the only ones watching the event. “The World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 … determines the regulatory approach to a wide range of international telecommunications issues such as spectrum allocation for mobile wireless networks and next-generation satellite broadband deployment,” explained Jeffrey Westling, director of technology and innovation policy at the American Action Forum US nonprofit, in a recent post.

Despite the fact that 5G is still being rolled out in the US and internationally, 6G has grown into a major discussion topic in the wireless industry. A number of equipment vendors have begun discussing their views on the technology in a bid to drum up operator interest in it, and to guide its development along their favored path.

However, interest in 6G overall is decidedly mixed, considering most 5G network operators continue to struggle to reap a return on their investment into the technology.

Regardless, 6G is just one of many topics that will be discussed at WRC-23.

Satellite issues

According to a number of reports, attendees at the WRC-23 will look at a handful of satellite-related issues, a topic that has grown in importance amid the rise of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite operators like SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper.

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