Secretary General Bernadette Lewis addresses participants at the Meeting of the Caribbean Spectrum Management Task Force.
Trinidad and Tobago, Port of Spain, (July 19th 2019): “The world is experiencing the 4th Industrial revolution which represents the convergence of the physical, digital and biological spheres. Wireless communications between devices, devices and human beings or living organisms are being featured highly.” So said Bernadette Lewis, Secretary General of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, during the opening of the Meeting of the Caribbean Spectrum Management Task Force, which took place from 18th to 19th July 2019, at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain.
Her statements addressed the issue that there is an increasingly global demand for the use of wireless devices and services, which results in the need for more efficient use of spectrum.
She noted, “The evolving service offerings of satellite companies and the continuing demand for service resilience, accessibility and mobility increase the pressure for radio frequency spectrum.”
This issue, which is the focus of the upcoming World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19), was discussed at the Meeting of the Task Force. The Task Force also updated its 2019 Action Plan and made plans for the Caribbean’s participation in the imminent 34th Meeting of the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission’s Permanent Consultative Committee II (CITEL PCC-II) in Ottawa in August 2019.
Spectrum management refers to the administration and regulation of the range of radio frequencies used for wireless communications in order to promote its efficient and optimal use for the socioeconomic benefit of all. This management takes place at the national, regional and global levels since spectrum is used by mobile operators, TV and radio broadcasters, satellite service providers, internet network operators and others to provide services to all, facilitating mobility and thus greater access to ubiquitous communication.
Participants from regional and international institutions and associations, and network and media operators provided information for the Task Force to make informed decisions on some of the WRC-19 agenda items that are of significant importance to the Caribbean region.
The meeting welcomed industry players from CTU member countries including, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as global representation from Canada, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
END
About the CTU:
The Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) is an inter-governmental organisation dedicated to supporting the development of the Caribbean information and communications technologies (ICT) sector. The CTU also promotes coordination of ICT at the regional level, identifies and removes roadblocks to ICT development, keeps track of industry progress and responds to the needs of the ICT sector, all with the aim of creating a cohesive regional approach to an ICT agenda which embraces the needs of all stakeholders. The CTU is committed to ICT development that reaches the citizens of the region, creating affordable access to ICT and helping citizens to use ICT effectively to transform their lives.
