Last year, we witnessed dramatic
changes in the way we live and work due to COVID‑19.
Our global dependence on digital
technology seemed to skyrocket almost overnight, as many of us were forced to
switch from offline to online modes of work and life.
At the same time, the value of
resilient and reliable digital infrastructure and networks has never been
clearer or timelier, especially given the rapid rollout of 5G networks and
services across the globe.
The real ’hidden heroes’ Information
and communication technologies (ICTs) have been called the “hidden hero” of the
COVID‑19
pandemic. But perhaps even more “hidden” are the people supporting the
efficient and effective management of ICT infrastructure and networks.
This is particularly apparent when it
comes to the management of spectrum, an increasingly precious natural resource
in our digital era.
The efficient and equitable use of the
radio spectrum resource not only supports rapid responses to disasters and
emergencies such as COVID‑19, but also helps sustain and scale up the
digital transformation efforts of entire countries — and their future generations.
Governments can achieve the efficient
management of spectrum by establishing the national spectrum management and
radio frequency (RF) monitoring processes. They create a technical and
regulatory envelope within which command‑and‑control procedures can operate successfully
and safely.
Free spectrum
management training
In order to support such efforts and
build required capacity, ITU’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific has
been collaborating with the State Radio Monitoring Center Testing Centre (SRTC)
of China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).
ITU and SRTC organized practical
training on issues related to spectrum management and radio‑frequency
monitoring free of charge.
As part of the ITU Centres of
Excellence (CoE) for the Asia and the Pacific region, the Centre has succeeded
in training nearly 1000 participants over the years.
In 2020, due to COVID‑19
restrictions, the training was organized online which has proven effective to
encourage participation from all over the world.
The two‑week course on
spectrum management and radio‑frequency monitoring in August 2020 saw 358
participants from 58 countries, covering not only Asia and the Pacific, but
also the Americas and other regions.
The active engagement and enthusiasm
of the participants was palatable, with an average of 45 questions asked per
session.
In addition, the ITU Academy platform
created a digital space for discussion and knowledge sharing through online
forums created by both tutors and participants.
To continue responding to the
increasing demand and requests for support in spectrum management and the
capacity development, ITU is planning to provide demand‑driven
technical assistance, tailored specifically for the region.
By enhancing the knowledge, expertise and capacity in spectrum management and radio‑frequency monitoring, ITU is helping not only to address the immediate needs of connecting people with affordable access to the Internet, but also advancing digital transformation, with resilient, robust, and reliable networks for the future.