The World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23), set to convene in November, determines the regulatory approach to a wide range of international telecommunications issues such as spectrum allocation for wireless networks and next-generation satellite broadband deployment. In a new primer, Director of Technology and Innovation Policy Jeffrey Westling explains the important issues the conference will cover, and why strong leadership at the conference is critical to advancing U.S. interests.

Westling concludes:

WRC-23 will cover a wide range of important issues related to telecommunications policy. Without strong U.S. leadership to set standards critical to innovation, international rivals could surpass the United States with their own preferred companies, such as Huawei and ZTE, which European clients may then prefer over Western firms. It will be critical for the U.S. delegation to find consensus for its positions and persuade international allies to adopt these policies.

Read the analysis