11.10.2005

Frequencies for future mobile systems under consideration in Helsinki

A meeting of experts within the Radiocommunication Sector of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is held in Helsinki on 12 - 19 October. The purpose of the meeting is to finalise and adopt a method of calculation and a relevant recommendation for radio frequencies needed for future mobile communication systems.

The meeting will continue the calculation of frequencies needed for future mobile systems and search for possible global frequency ranges for these systems. Decisions on potential additional frequencies are made in the ITU World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) in 2007. In Europe, the frequencies for future mobile communications will be introduced beyond 2015.

The number of subscribers to third generation mobile systems has rapidly increased during the past year. At present the number of subscribers already exceeds 50 million, the commercial UMTS networks have 33 million subscribers in all. In Finland there are now two commercially operated UMTS mobile communication networks. UMTS is one of the 3rd generation technologies in the IMT-2000 group of systems specified by ITU.

A high data transmission speed is expected of the future mobile communication system. This wireless broadband technique enables among other things wireless multimedia, for instance on-line video transfer.

Some 250 representatives from all over the world are expected to participate in the meeting.

The ITU expert meeting in the Paasitorni conference centre will be inaugurated by Ms Rauni Hagman, Director-General of the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority. Media representatives are welcome to the opening ceremony on Wednesday 12 October 2005 at 10 a.m. Preliminary enrolment to Ms Anne Lappalainen, Information Manager, is requested.

Additional information:
ITU IMT-2000 website: http://www.itu.int/home/imt.html
UMTS Forum: http://www.umts-forum.org

Further information:
Mr Pasi Toivonen, Mobile Communication and Mass Communication Networks, tel. +358 9 6966 853, 040 530 5458
Ms Anne Lappalainen, Information Manager, tel. +358 9 6966 455, +358 40 514 0950