Two Regions, One Road to WRC-27: Recapping the 13th Latin America and 11th Africa Spectrum Management Conferences

WRC-27 preparations, mid-band strategy and the rise of satellite connectivity took centre stage in September as the 13th Latin America Spectrum Management Conference and 11th Africa Spectrum Management Conference took place in San José and Tunis respectively.

Held less than a week apart, on 1–2 and 7 September 2026, the two conferences brought together ministers, national regulatory authorities, regional and international organisations and industry experts as part of the Global Spectrum Series. With WRC-27 now just over a year away, both events provided a neutral platform to take stock of regional preparations and examine the spectrum decisions that will shape connectivity in Latin America and across Africa.

Session 4: featuring Cameron Currin, Carlos Watson, Kim Moraes Mota, Larissa Gontijo Jales, Joshua Baggett and Artur Coimbra

13th Latin America Spectrum Management Conference (1–2 September)

Kindly hosted by SUTEL, with the support of CITEL and COMTELCA, the 13th Latin America Spectrum Management Conference took place at the Hotel Barceló in San José, Costa Rica and welcomed over 200 delegates across two days. Keynote presentations from Paula Bogantes Zamora (Minister of Science, Innovation, Technology and Telecommunications, MICITT, Costa Rica), Anna M. Gomez (Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission, USA) and Carlos Watson (President, SUTEL) framed the discussions, offering national, regulatory and international perspectives on how spectrum policy can support connectivity, investment and innovation.

Sessions across the two days examined how the region can move from spectrum planning to delivery. Key discussion points included:

• WRC-27 and the Path to 6G: Regional alignment through CITEL ahead of the May 2027 deadline for new preliminary proposals. Topics ranged from upper mid-band IMT under Agenda Item 1.7, including 7.125–8.4 GHz, to ultra-wideband protection in 7.7–8.3 GHz and NGSO EPFD limits.
• 5G and Mid-Band: Turning 5G capability into services customers will buy, with permitting and backhaul as practical constraints. 3.5 GHz remains the mid-band anchor, and 3.8–4.2 GHz was named as the next range requiring study.
• The Upper 6 GHz Band: Three options rather than two: a split between unlicensed and mobile use, full-band Wi-Fi with standard power, or time-limited dynamic access. Costa Rica and Brazil have already taken different paths.
• Licensing and Spectrum Strategy: Balancing public revenue with investment, with case studies from SUTEL and ASEP Panama, alongside flexible, shared and dynamic licensing for new use cases.
• D2D and Multi-Orbit Satellite: Extending coverage to rural and remote users as NGSO systems scale.

Session 6: featuring Pedro Miranda, José Manuel Peralta Carranza, Kim Moraes Mota, Carol Sosa Leguizamon, Jose Ayala, Hector Marin and Martha Suarez

Watch the highlights video here:

Stay informed on future editions of this event here.

11th Africa Spectrum Management Conference (7 September)

The following week, the 11th Africa Spectrum Management Conference brought over 300 delegates to the Royal ASBU Hotel in Tunis, Tunisia. Kindly hosted by the National Frequency Agency (ANF) of Tunisia - incorporating the 4th edition of their Spectrum and Technology Trends Forum - this event was also held in partnership with the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) as part of the 3rd African Preparatory Meeting for WRC-27, which ran from 8 to 11 September.

This year marked a new chapter for the event. Formerly the Sub-Sahara Spectrum Management Conference, it broadened its scope to include North Africa, in line with the wider geographical reach of ATU, creating a truly pan-African platform.

Keynote speaker Olfa Jammeli, General Director at ANF Tunisia

Keynote presentations from Ben Ba (Head of Terrestrial Publication & Registration Division, Radiocommunication Bureau, ITU), John Omo (Secretary General, ATU) and Olfa Jammeli (General Director, ANF Tunisia) opened a day focused on Africa's priorities as the region moves into the final stages of WRC-27 preparation.

• WRC-27 and Region 1 Alignment: A shift from technical studies to a shared negotiating strategy, with consolidated Region 1 positions targeted for the CPM in April 2027. The session included a fireside chat with CEPT and ASMG on alignment across Region 1.
• Mid-Band and the Road to 6G: Estimated mid-band needs of 1.3–1.8 GHz per market. Proposals for 4.4–4.8 GHz and upper 6 GHz remained contested. Unused parts of 3.8–4.2 GHz drew support for local and shared access, and IMT-2030 preparation was framed as running alongside 4G and 5G.
• Pricing, Licensing and Public Value: Balancing revenue with investment, coverage obligations for underserved areas, and the role of UHF, community networks and shared spectrum. The debate covered whether Africa should enter WRC-31 studies for 614–694 MHz, and the affordability and skills barriers that leave internet use well behind coverage.
• Space, Satellite and D2D: Licensing D2D and multi-orbit services, and managing coexistence between NGSO, GSO and terrestrial networks. Discussion also covered unauthorised terminals and fair access to satellite resources.

Session 5: featuring Elizabeth Migwalla, Rahma Gharsallaoui, Ronel le Grange, Mandialy Bodian, Eiman Mohyeldin and Lotfi Elati

Watch the highlights video here:

Stay informed on future editions of this event here.

Both conferences found common ground on three points: regional coordination, licensing that puts investment and coverage ahead of maximum proceeds, and satellite and D2D as complements to terrestrial networks. Both also left key questions open, from the future of upper 6 GHz to how direct-to-device services should be authorised. With consolidated positions due at the CPM in April 2027, and CITEL’s deadline for new preliminary proposals the following month, the coming months will decide how united each region will be when it reaches WRC-27.

For full event details and speaker line-ups, visit the official event websites at latam-spectrum.com and spectrummanagement.africa.

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