By John Tanner

The ITU Radiocommunication Assembly 2023 (RA-23) wrapped up on Friday with a lot of new resolutions covering 6G standards, sustainable usage of space spectrum and gender equality.

RA-23, which was held last week in Dubai, adopted the new Recommendation ITU-R M. 2160 on the “IMT-2030 Framework,” which sets the basis for development of 6G, a.k.a. IMT-2030. The next phase will be the definition of relevant requirements and evaluation criteria for potential radio interface technologies.

The assembly also adopted a a new resolution on space sustainability to facilitate the long-term sustainable use of radio spectrum and associated satellite orbit resources used by space services, in in accordance with Resolution 219 (Bucharest, 2022). The ITU says this resolution will benefit the satellite sector and support further cooperation with other United Nations organizations.

RA-23 also finished a new ITU-R Recommendation on the protection of the radio navigation-satellite service and amateur satellite services, and adopted a a new resolution on the use of IMT technologies for fixed wireless broadband.

The assembly also agreed to revise ITU-R Resolution 65 to facilitate studies looking at the compatibility of current regulations with potential 6G IMT radio interface technologies for 2030 and beyond.

Resolution ITU-R 8-3 was also revised to promote the participation of engineers and scientists from developing countries in radiowave propagation campaigns in tropical and subtropical regions with limited data monitoring.

RA-23 also adopted a resolution on gender equality to strengthen, accelerate and widen the active involvement of women in the ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R).

The resolution is based on the “Declaration on Promoting Gender Equality, Equity and Parity in the ITU Radiocommunication Sector” that was called for by the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-19). The resolution calls on the ITU-R sector to “strengthen and accelerate all efforts to ensure that its policies, work programmes, information dissemination activities, publications, study groups, seminars, courses, assemblies and conferences reflect the commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of women.”

The resolution further calls on ITU Member States to “support the inclusion of women in all aspects and levels of ITU‑R activities and to undertake a variety of specific actions to promote and increase the interest of, and opportunities for, women and girls in STEM fields, particularly in electrical engineering and computer science.”

RA-23 was the first such assembly to have a woman as chair (Carol Wilson of Australia).

The RA-23 resolutions arrive just ahead of WRC-23, which commences today in Dubai and will run until 15 December 2023. Hot items on the agenda include the ongoing battle between the satellite and mobile sectors for 5G spectrum, especially as non-terrestrial networks become part of 3GPP’s 5G standards, the development of direct-to-device satellite services, and revisiting rules about satellite power limits for LEO satellites, to name a few.