International symposium on spectrum management begins in Dhaka

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has begun a three-day international spectrum management symposium in Dhaka.

The seminar, taking place from 18 to 20 February 2025 at a hotel in the capital, has attracted approximately 200 participants, including heads of telecommunications and ICT regulatory bodies, telecom operators, officials from government and private organisations, and experts from Bangladesh and other participating countries such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, the Maldives, Iran, Australia, Mongolia, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, Vanuatu, Tonga, and Laos.

Associate members of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) participating in the symposium include CISCO and INMARSAT from Singapore, GSMA (Hong Kong), KDDI Corporation (Japan), the Global Satellite Operators Association, Amazon, Meta, Starlink, Qualcomm India, Huawei Technologies, Telenor Asia, Palace Consulting (Australia), and Japan's National Institute of Communication and Technology.
The symposium was inaugurated under BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd.) Md Emdad Ul Bari. The event's chief guest was Dr Md Mushfiqur Rahman, Secretary of the Posts and Telecommunications Division, while APT Secretary General Mr Masanori Kondo attended as the special guest.

Dr Md Mushfiqur Rahman emphasised that radio spectrum is a scarce and valuable resource whose proper utilisation is crucial. He highlighted that the appropriate use of spectrum plays a significant role in a country's socio-economic and technological development. He further stated that APT member countries, as a focal body, can leverage this symposium to exchange technological knowledge and insights to maximise the potential of the telecommunications sector.
APT Secretary General Mr Masanori Kondo noted that the symposium is designed for policymakers, telecom regulators, and technology firms involved in spectrum policy, regulation, and management in the Asia-Pacific region. He stated that the symposium would present key perspectives on national spectrum strategies, spectrum management, spectrum roadmaps, and future technologies, contributing effectively to regulatory and policy formulation in member countries. He also expressed his gratitude to BTRC for its disciplined organisation of the event.

BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd.) Md Emdad Ul Bari underscored that access to sufficient and affordable spectrum is essential for expanding digital connectivity worldwide. He noted that APT works closely with member countries, industry stakeholders, and regulators to develop a comprehensive spectrum roadmap. This roadmap aims to enhance spectrum management strategies, valuation policies, regulatory frameworks, and regional coordination efforts. He stressed that a stable and efficient spectrum management policy is crucial for long-term investment and growth, cautioning that inefficient spectrum management could impose financial burdens on service providers, hindering infrastructure expansion and service quality improvements.
The symposium aims to discuss the outcomes of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 held in Dubai, new ICT innovations, and policies and regulations for facilitating regional cooperation in spectrum management. Topics include digital connectivity and national spectrum strategies, spectrum policies and technical considerations for expanding connectivity in remote areas, meeting the demand for spectrum bandwidth, spectrum roadmapping, the future vision for spectrum management, and sharing best practices among member countries.

The 16th General Assembly of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity, held in November 2023, adopted the APT Strategic Plan 2024-2026, emphasising the need for a favourable policy and regulatory environment for spectrum use to support universal and meaningful digital connectivity. Key actions outlined in the plan include ensuring spectrum availability for new applications, promoting efficient spectrum use, developing spectrum roadmaps, coordinating spectrum use at regional and global levels, and facilitating collaboration among APT member countries.

During the three-day symposium, the first day will focus on the APT Strategic Plan 2024-2026, connectivity needs, and the national spectrum strategy. The second day will cover spectrum management practices, including the valuation of radio frequency spectrum. The third day will explore innovative techniques and tools in spectrum management and key regulatory considerations for spectrum use. The discussions on these topics will foster collaboration among the region's high-level policymakers, regulators, and digital industry stakeholders.