The GSMA at WRC-23

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WRC-23 can help increase 5G capacity in both urban and rural areas.

The ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) can support expansion of 5G into all areas and enable affordable connectivity for all people. WRC-23 will look at both mid-band and sub-1 GHz frequencies for mobile.

Through the WRC-23 Agenda Items below, the conference can allow Region 1 countries access to more sub-1 GHz mobile spectrum and give them the capacity to level up affordable connectivity in different geographical areas. Mid-band spectrum is being discussed globally and can drive wider harmonisation and lower broadband costs.

The WRC-23 Agenda Items looking at mid-band frequencies can help ensure that operators roll out 5G in optimised blocks – 80-100 MHz – of contiguous bandwidth at 5G launch. Doing so will boost 5G performance, decrease handset complexity, lower network density and make 5G connectivity more affordable for everyone.

WRC-23 IMT Agenda Items

1.1 – IMT in the band 4 800-4 990 MHz;
1.2 – IMT in a number of bands including in the 3.5 GHz and 6 GHz ranges;
1.3 – Mobile Allocation in 3 600-3 800 MHz in Region 1; and
1.5 – Consideration of sub-1 GHz spectrum in Region 1.

The event is scheduled to take place 20 November to 15 December 2023 in Dubai.

Reports and position papers relevant to WRC-23 as well as WRC-19 can be found below. Read more about 5G spectrum here, and follow the latest developments on the GSMA’s spectrum blog.