By Emeka Aginam

The Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Hamadoun Touré has said that how best to review and modify global spectrum regulations to ensure that it is used effectively to benefit all players will be key issue at the ongoing World Radiocommunication conference which opened on Monday in Geneva, Switzerland.

According to the ITU scribe, the aim is to ensure reliable radio services are available everywhere and at any time enabling people to live and travel safely while enjoying high performance radiocommunication.

For François Rancy, Director of ITU’s Radiocommunication Bureau, “The decisions taken by the ITU Membership during WRC-12 will play a vital role in contributing towards improved access and development of ICT wireless infrastructure, in particular in meeting the challenges of mobile broadband and ensuring that ICTs work for the benefit of all the world’s people.

“The objective is to enable the introduction of the latest technological developments, while protecting investments and favouring economies of scale.”

The work of this international treaty-making conference, according to the organizers will be conducted over four weeks until 17 February to address the changes required to the regulation of orbit/spectrum resources in the interest of the users of these scarce resources, with global implications for policy-makers, regulators, the industry as well as end-users.

Over 3000 participants, representing more than 150 out of the ITU’s 193 member states are expected to attend the four-week conference, making it one of the most significant ITU events. About 100 observers from among ITU’s 700 private sector members along with international organizations are expected to attend the 2012 World Radiocommunication conference (WRC-12).

Fuelled by rapid technological developments in information and communication technologies (ICT) along with convergence of radiocommunication services, there is an urgent need to ensure the best efficiencies in the use of spectrum, a finite resource.

The management of satellite orbital slots and associated spectrum resources will be a key area of focus for WRC-12.