MWC2026

ITU Secretary-General: Space Will Dominate 2027 Global Spectrum Talks

At the Mobile World Congress, two global telecom policy-makers discussed resilience, supply-chain risk and workforce with AI.

Akul Saxena, Drew Clark

Mar 3, 2026 — 3 min read

Photo of (from left), John Giusti, chief regulatory officer of the GSMA; Doreen Bogdan-Martin, secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union; and Mathias Cormann, secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

BARCELONA, March 3, 2026 — Space-based services will dominate the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference, with roughly 80 percent of the treaty agenda focused on satellite and non-terrestrial systems, the head of the International Telecommunication Union said Monday.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, said the quadrennial conference will revise binding global Radio Regulations governing spectrum allocations and satellite orbits.

The International Telecommunication Union allocates international spectrum bands and develops telecommunications standards used by governments and industry. Founded in 1865 under the International Telegraph Treaty to enable cross-border telegraph communications, it is the oldest specialized agency within the United Nations.

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MWC2026 Barcelona ITU International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Sector Doreen Bodgan-Martin Spain World Radio Conference Mathias Cormann OECD Secretary General United Nations