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ITU chief calls for fast global deployment of next-generation
IMT-Advanced mobile networks
Geneva, 24 February 2012 — ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun
Touré has launched a call to mobile operators worldwide to move quickly to
deploy IMT-Advanced-compliant mobile broadband networks, while at the same time
urging governments to slash or even abolish onerous taxes on ICT equipment and
services that could stifle the future growth of the mobile sector.
“If we are to translate the ‘mobile miracle’ of the past decade to wireless
broadband, we need to take full advantage of the faster speeds IMT-Advanced will
bring, ushering in the next exciting wave of innovation through creative new
applications and services,” said Dr Touré.
ITU’s recent Radiocommunication Assembly (Geneva, 16-20 January) officially
endorsed the two selected technologies that will form the basis of IMT-Advanced
next generation high-speed cellular broadband. LTE-Advanced and WirelessMAN-Advanced
both qualified as IMT-Advanced-compliant, capable of supporting speeds of 1 Gbit/s
while stationary and 100 Mbit/s while in motion.
“Consumers today expect to be connected to the Internet, to their social
networks and to their data anywhere, anytime. As we enter the era of true mobile
broadband, it is in everyone’s interests that people are able to use their
mobile devices intuitively and spontaneously, taking advantage of premium
high-speed services like live video streaming and new apps we haven’t yet dreamt
of,” said Dr Touré. “Operators who move fast to deploy IMT-Advanced
technologies, and who price their services competitively, will reap the full
benefit of the next wave of explosive growth.”
Dr Touré also warned against unfair taxes levied on ICT goods and services by
governments hoping to take advantage of the buoyant state of the technology
sector. “It is encouraging to see a growing number of tax administrators
recognize that ICT services are different from other services, because of their
capacity to stimulate economic growth and social development. Governments who
have committed to following best-practice ICT regulation are now reducing or
even eliminating some sector-specific taxes. ITU would like to see all
governments follow their lead,” he said.
Dr Touré will be making his case for rapid broadband mobile roll-out coupled
with a more rational approach to ICT taxation in a keynote speech to Chief
Regulatory Officers at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona on Saturday
25th February. He will also outline the topics likely to be debated at the World
Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12), which will take place
in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 3-14 December.
WCIT-12 will review the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs), a
global treaty last updated in 1988 whose purpose is to promote the development
of telecommunication services and their most efficient operation.
The current ITRs helped establish the framework for the market
liberalization, privatization and technological revolution that transformed the
industry over the past two decades. Some ITU members believe the treaty
now needs to be updated to reflect today’s new ICT landscape.
“Back in 1988, the three key pillars underpinning telecoms were time,
distance, and location. These have all become almost entirely irrelevant in
terms of global telecoms services today.
We need to be sure we have the right frameworks in place to nurture the
broadband revolution that will define the coming decade,” said Dr Touré.
The Internet is dependent on the ICT networks – fibre, cable, mobile and
satellite – which underpin it. Dr Touré warned of the risk of an increasing
‘infrastructure gap’, with data volumes already increasing much faster than the
infrastructure needed to carry it.
“We must keep the Internet open for business to sustain growth in today’s
massively inter-dependent global digital economy,” he said. “True to ITU’s long
tradition of building global consensus on the issues that shape tomorrow’s
networks and services, we’ll be looking for win-win outcomes that give our
industry the strength and resilience to flourish for many years to come.”
Note to editors:
A comprehensive list of outcomes relevant to the global radiocommunication
industry taken at ITU’s World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12) in Geneva
(23 January-17 February) can be found at:
www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2012/10.aspx.
Since 2000, the world has seen the introduction of the first family of
standards derived from the ITU’s International Mobile Telecommunication system
(IMT). ‘IMT-2000’ networks (commonly referred to as ‘3G’) are now widely
deployed worldwide. The next iteration of the IMT family, ‘IMT-Advanced’,
provides a global platform on which to build the next generation of mobile
services – fast data access, unified messaging and broadband multimedia – in the
form of exciting new interactive services and applications.
For more information, please contact:
At Mobile World Congress, Barcelona:
Paul Conneally
Head, Communication and Partnership Promotion
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Toby Johnson
Senior Communications Officer,
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At ITU Headquarters, Geneva:
Sarah Parkes
Chief, Media Relations and Public Information
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