The modern age of the internet has shaped nearly every facet of modern-day life. However, access to this revolutionary technology still needs to catch up. It may appear obvious, but widespread communication and the internet are efficient ways to bring the entire globe into a prosperous age. The World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) is an international event that occurs every three to four years to set and revise global standards used for international radio and communication. This year’s conference, WRC-23 in Dubai, maintained a focal point of improving communication and internet access across developing nations. This year, the conference aimed efforts at areas across southeast Asia and Africa. WRC-23 reduces poverty using tools like 5G and internet bands (GHz). 

While the internet and communication may seem like commodities compared to adequate food and housing when examining poverty, a case study in Mexico found that inequitable access to the internet and communication was a driving force for poverty. Access to these factors bolstered education, health care and other factors. The study showed that people lacking access, on average, had less access to health care, housing and education. This case study in Mexico displays how WRC-23 reduces poverty using developed technologies with fair access to create advantages for people. 

5G and the Internet in Asia

For the greater Pacific-Asia region, WRC-23 presents the opportunity to revolutionize radio frequency. The main idea is to use 6Ghz — a high-speed internet band — to skyrocket the accessibility and sustainability of 5G. An astounding 5 billion people use mobile phones every day, and increasing its capacity presents further opportunities for education and health care — key pillars in fighting poverty. Furthermore, the European Investment Banks predicts that 5G can reduce energy consumption by 50% to 95%. Increasing the availability and reducing the cost of energy can have a massive effect on ways the WRC-23 reduces poverty. 

China has already committed to this new wave of 5G and began implementation on July 1st. Other countries in Southeast Asia, such as Cambodia, China, Mongolia and Myanmar, have also demonstrated interest in using 6Ghz to improve mobile access. This innovation could potentially reach 1.5 billion people and improve the lives of many. 

Mobile in Africa 

On a global scale, 45% of the world lacks access to the internet. Those disconnected fall into two groups. Some fall into the coverage gap: people who live in areas with zero mobile networks. Others fall into the usage gap: people without broadband access but who create a mobile footprint. Africa houses a disproportionate number of disconnected who fall into the coverage gap group, 61% of people lack access to mobile networks. The chief causes of this are the usage and affordability of networks. 

Causes being discussed at WRC-23. The conference is focused on using low and mid-band spectrums to tackle the coverage gap. Low and mid-band spectrums being discussed in WRC-23 contain massive impacts on digital access in Africa. The continued use of 3.5GHz and the expansion of 3.8 GHz has the potential to create a dream vision for mobile in Africa, echoing massive benefits for those in poverty. The addition of the lower band 470-694 MHz can also further bolster the impacts of improved access. Powerful potential is being forged helping the WRC-23 reduce poverty. 

Looking Forward 

It is evident that the projects at WRC-23 can make massive strides in the fight against global poverty. All it takes is the approval of countries participating in the conference for improvements in the lives of many.

The GMSA is a global network of more than 1,000 operators that focuses on improving sustainability and equality in the mobile industry. It has identified three actions to make change. It is urging countries to:

1. Allocate the 470-694 MHz band. 
2. Identify the 3.3-3.8 GHz band3. 
3. Start up the 6GHz band. 

These actions will have massive ramifications for assisting the WRC-23 to reduce poverty. 

– Aditya Arora
Photo: Flickr