From 09 to 13 September 2024, the 26th meeting of the RCC Commission of the RCC Commission for the Regulation of the Usage of the Radio Frequency Spectrum and Satellite Orbits (RCC Commission on RFS and SO) and its Working Groups was held.

The participants of the meeting discussed a number of key issues related to the preparations for the World Radiocommunication Conference and the Radiocommunication Assembly 2027 in the ITU regional telecommunication organisations, the representatives of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission and the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity also made presentations on the subject, the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunication Administrations provided a written report.

The meeting also considered the results of the joint 60th meeting of the RCC Board of the Communications Administrations Heads and the 30th meeting of the Coordination Council of the CIS Member-States on Informatization at the RCC, in particular, the decision to convene an Advisory Group of Experts at the RCC Director General on the coordination of the radio frequency spectrum and communications - such a decision was supported by the participants of the meeting.

In addition, the participants of the meeting discussed and agreed on the changes in the leadership of the RCC Commission on RFS and SO and touched upon the preparation of RCC Communications Administrations for the meeting of the Working Groups of the 7th Study Group (Scientific Services), which will be held on 16-27 September 2024 in Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan.

The Chairman of ITU-R Study Group 4, Victor Strelets, presented to the RCC Commission the final report on the results of the 2024 Sustainable Space Development Forum. The Forum became an important platform for discussing topical issues and challenges facing the global community in the field of space technologies and their applications. Special attention was paid to the sustainable use of space resources and the coordination of efforts of countries to achieve common goals.

During the session, a representative of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau made a presentation on the representation of the CIS/RCC region in the Network of Women for WRC-27 (NOW4WRC27). The discussion emphasised the importance of gender equality and women's involvement in radiocommunication and related aspects of sustainable development in general.

The RCC Commission also heard the reports of the Working Groups, which outlined the results of the joint work of the RCC Communications Administrations and the adopted decisions.

As a result of the meeting of the Working Group on Preparations for the Radiocommunication Assembly and the World Radiocommunication Conference (WG RA/WRC), a preliminary stance of the RCC Communications Administrations (CAs) on the WRC-27 agenda items was formulated.

An important aspect of the meeting was the appointment of the Vice-Chairman of the WG RA/WCR. Olga Dashkevich, representative of the CA of the Republic of Belarus, leading engineer of the International Cooperation Department of the State Enterprise ‘BelGIE’, became the Vice-Chairperson. Her experience and professionalism will be a significant contribution to the work of the group.

In addition, contributions from the CA of the Republic of Kazakhstan were also considered on the activities of ITU Radiocommunication Sector Study Group 4 on the WRC-27 agenda item concerning a study on the regulation of the use of non-geostationary satellite orbits (NGSO) to exclude unauthorised operation of earth stations and the related issue of exclusion of national territories from the service areas of NGSO systems. Contributions relating to the question of the possibility of using the Q/V band by Earth stations on board ships and aircraft were also considered.

The Chairman of the Working Group on Radio Frequency Spectrum Management (WG RFS) was appointed the representative of the CA of the Republic of Belarus, Head of the International Cooperation Department of the State Enterprise ‘BelGIE’ Pavel Baltsevich, under whose leadership the 22nd meeting of the WG RFS was held.

During the meeting 20 agenda items were considered concerning the organisation of the work of the WG RFS, expedient revision of the previously approved documents of the RCC, as well as proposals for the development of new documents of the RCC. The proposals on the documents concerned both technical aspects of radio frequency spectrum use, coordination of radio frequency assignments, and issues of regulation of payment for the use and allocation of radio frequency spectrum, regulation of the use of repeaters (repeaters) of cellular mobile communications in the RCC Member-States.

Within the framework of the Working Group on Radio Broadcasting (WG RB), work has been carried out since May this year on the search for additional channels to the ‘Geneva-06’ Plan in the radio frequency band 470-694 MHz.

The work on one of the important directions of work of the WG RB - research of issues of transfer of terrestrial terrestrial television broadcasting networks to modern standards of high definition (HD) and ultra-high definition (UHD) image transmission was continued. The works related to the search for additional channels to the Plan ‘Geneva-06’ in the radio frequency band 470-694 MHz will contribute to the solution of this problem.

Significant interest at the meeting was aroused by the report of the representative of the CA of the Republic of Tajikistan, which provided information on the work of terrestrial terrestrial digital television broadcasting networks of high definition standard. By the end of the year, the coverage of the population of the Republic of Tajikistan with modern digital television should reach 85 per cent, which indicates significant progress in this area.

The WG RB also considered the results of the decisions taken at WRC-23 regarding the use of frequency bands allocated to the radio broadcasting service and continued to carry out work to determine the prospects for the introduction of modern technologies and systems of terrestrial television broadcasting and sound broadcasting.

In the context of further work of the WG RB, it was decided to prepare a recommendation on the use of the 174-230 MHz band for digital sound radio broadcasting, taking into account the regulation of the use of this frequency band by the Geneva-06 Agreement. This decision is an important step towards improving the radio broadcasting infrastructure and improving the quality of services provided.

The meetings of the RCC Commission Working Groups and their results were an important element of the path towards effective regulation of the radio spectrum and satellite orbits in the spirit of strengthening mutual understanding and co-operation among the RCC CAs. The participants of the meetings reaffirmed their readiness for constructive dialogue and further development of radiocommunication within the Commonwealth.

The Commission meeting was held in an atmosphere of constructive dialogue and professional cooperation, which underlines the importance of joint efforts of the RCC CAs.

At the end of the meeting the Chairman of the RCC Commission on the RFS and SO, Valery Butenko and all participants of the meeting thanked the CA of the Republic of Belarus for organising the meeting of the Commission.

The delegates in their turn emphasised the importance of the accomplished work by the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau representatives, and also thanked the Chairman of the RCC Commission on the RFS and SO Valery Butenko and the RCC Executive Committee for preparation and holding the Commission meeting at a high level and all the participants for active work.

At the invitation of the CA of the Republic of Tajikistan the next meeting of the RCC Commission on the RFS and SO and its Working Bodies is scheduled in Dushanbe in February/April 2025.