The Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services Dr Siyabonga Cwele signed the World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15) Final Acts on behalf of the Republic of South Africa as the conference drew to a close on 27 November 2015.
The World Radiocommunication Conferences are organised by the International Telecommunication Union and are convened every four years to review and revise the international radio regulations; the international treaty governing the use of the radio frequency spectrum worldwide. The 2015 WRC had 3 000 delegates from 160 countries. South Africa was represented by 35 delegates from various Government Departments, ICASA, SOCs and the private sector.
These Final Acts, which are an international treaty, will guide South Africa’s radio frequency spectrum policy over the next four years.
Overall South Africa is pleased with the outcome of WRC-15.
Key highlights include:
- The allocation of additional spectrum for mobile broadband services in various frequency bands;
- The preservation of the UHF broadcasting spectrum for digital terrestrial television services;
- Allocation of spectrum for global flight tracking of aircraft via satellite. This will enable aircraft involved in air disasters in future to be more easily located;
- Preservation of C-Band spectrum for satellite communications;
- The agenda for the next WRC-19 agenda was developed by WRC-15. Key issues on the agenda that were championed by the South African delegation for the WRC-19 Conference include studies on additional spectrum for mobile broadband services and a review of the technical and regulatory framework governing nano and pico satellites and spectrum needs for the modernisation of global maritime distress and safety systems.
Preparatory work for the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference commences on 1 December 2015 with ITU convening the first session of the WRC-19 Conference Preparatory Meeting.
This meeting will organise and co-ordinate preparatory studies for WRC-19 within the various ITU study groups.
South Africa will be represented at this meeting.
Enqueries:
Siyabulela Qoza
Cell: 082 898 1657
E-mail: siya@dtps.gov.za
