The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in collaboration with the
COST Action OpenSense, announced the
"Second Roundtable on the Global Microwave Link Data Collection Initiative (GMDI)". This event took place on
21 May 2025, from
09:00 to 17:00 CET, at the
ITU Headquarters in
Geneva, Switzerland. Building on the success of the first roundtable held in September 2024, this meeting aimed to review progress, refine strategies, and advance the initiative's goals for the global collection and utilization of commercial microwave link (CML) data in hydrometeorological applications.
CMLs have emerged as valuable tools for rainfall observation, particularly in data-scarce regions such as developing countries. However, the lack of standardized data collection and sharing mechanisms has limited their broader application. The GMDI seeks to address these challenges by fostering collaboration between stakeholders in telecommunications and hydrometeorology, including mobile network operators (MNOs), CML hardware vendors, national meteorological and hydrological services, researchers, and organizations such as ITU, EUMETNET, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The first roundtable identified four key focus areas for the initiative:
- Standardization of CML data collection and sharing;
- Incentives and business models to encourage participation;
- Technical solutions to support CML data collection;
- Best practices and recommendations for CML data use in hydrometeorology.
This second roundtable evaluated the progress in these areas, discuss challenges, and refine the roadmap for overcoming barriers to CML data exchange and its integration into meteorological observation systems.
Objective
The primary objective of this roundtable was to advance the Global Microwave Link Data Collection Initiative by:
- Reviewing progress made since the first roundtable;
- Identifying and addressing critical barriers to CML data collection and sharing;
- Refining strategies for standardization, technical solutions, and stakeholder engagement.;
- Strengthening collaboration between telecommunications and hydrometeorology stakeholders.
About OpenSense (COST Action CA20136). OpenSense brings together scientists, weather service experts, and end-users to build a global community focused on opportunistic sensing technologies, including microwave links and citizen science. The initiative aims to overcome barriers to data exchange, define standards for large-scale benchmarking, and integrate opportunistic observations into traditional monitoring networks. Learn more at:
https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA20136/.
Recording of the session will be available soon.
