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Spectrum in North America: The Impact of WRC-23

Key outcomes from the International Telecommunication Union’s World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) in November 2023 highlighted the spectrum challenges for the North American wireless cellular industry.  

WRC-23 highlighted the need for new exclusive use of internationally harmonized spectrum bands to strengthen the region’s leadership in 5G and future 6G technologies. Decisions made at WRC-23 are pivotal for North America, affecting key spectrum bands such as 3.3-3.4 GHz, 3.6-3.8 GHz, and 10-10.5 GHz, which are essential for enhancing capacity, coverage, and overall network performance.

Additionally, upper mid-band frequencies are seen as the most promising for economical, wide area 6G deployments. The upper mid-band spectrum, particularly within the 7.125-15.35 GHz frequency range, is identified as best suited to meet future mobile network demands due to its capacity and coverage trade-offs.

Despite some ITU advancements, the United States faces a significant challenge with its current mid-band spectrum allocation, which trails behind global competitors. According to leading wireless associations, the U.S. is currently ranked 13th out of 15 leading global markets for licensed mid-band spectrum. Without timely action, the U.S. could experience a critical shortfall of up to 520 MHz compared to leading nations by 2027.

“Spectrum is the oxygen for our industry and North America could be in a deficit soon compared to other countries in the world. Collaboration between governments, industry, and international bodies is essential to ensure that the spectrum identified at WRC-23 is available under suitable regulatory conditions,” said Brian Daly, AT&T Fellow and AVP of Standards & Industry Alliances and working group leader on the white paper.

“As cellular connectivity demands increase, industry stakeholders must collaborate to maintain North America’s leadership in wireless technology. Securing ample spectrum is about investing in North America’s future and meeting the growing needs of consumers and businesses,” said Alexander Brock, Senior Vice President Strategy and Partnership, Rogers.

It is crucial to prepare for WRC-27 by engaging in studies and regulatory planning to secure spectrum for future technologies, ensuring North America’s continued leadership in global telecommunications.

Karri Kuoppamaki, Senior Vice President, Advanced and Emerging Technologies, T-Mobile USA

Executive Summary

ITU WRC-23, held in Dubai, marked a pivotal event for global telecommunications. It focused on identifying spectrum for mobile broadband services and addressing the increasing demand for data and the need for globally harmonized spectrum. It is crucial for the industry to ensure that the next wireless generation has access to adequate spectrum under the right regulatory frameworks to foster innovation and meet growing traffic demands.

WRC-23 outcomes have significant implications for North America and beyond, with several spectrum bands identified for IMT and others earmarked for further study or alternative uses. Notably, decisions around the 3.3-3.4 GHz, 3.6-3.8 GHz, and 10-10.5 GHz bands will impact the deployment of future mobile technologies in the region. Additionally, the conference set the stage for WRC-27, proposing new bands for IMT identification, which will be crucial for the development of 6G and beyond.

The WRC-23 Agenda included five items that sought to identify additional global or regional spectrum for the terrestrial component of IMT. These five agenda items involved several spectrum bands, but not all of them related to Region 2. Two agenda items for IMT applied specifically to Region 1, although outcomes have an impact on use of IMT in the Americas. The main agenda item of interest considered potential IMT identification in the following bands for the Americas: 3300-3400 MHz, 3600-3800 MHz, 7025-7125 MHz and 10-10.5 GHz. The 3300-3400 MHz band obtained a primary mobile service allocation and an IMT identification with the condition of not causing harmful interference to, or claiming protection from, systems in the radiolocation service, requiring administrations to obtain the agreement of neighboring countries to protect the radiolocation service operations. For the band 3600-3800 MHz, an IMT identification was achieved for the entire Region 2 within 3600-3700 MHz, allowing its use if agreement is obtained from neighboring countries deploying Earth stations of the fixed-satellite service. For 3700-3800 MHz, 15countries, including Canada and the United States, indicated interest to use IMT technology with similar condition as for 3600-3700 MHz.

The telecommunications industry stands at a crossroads, with the decisions made today shaping the future of wireless technology. By acting on the recommendations outlined, stakeholders can ensure that North America remains at the forefront of technological innovation, benefiting from enhanced connectivity and the myriad opportunities it presents. Collaboration between governments, industry players, and international bodies will be key to realizing the full potential of the spectrum identified at WRC-23 and ensuring a prosperous future for wireless communications in the Americas and beyond.

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