Every four years, the ITU (International Telecommunication Union), an UN agency responsible for IT and telecoms, holds the World Radio Congress (WRC) to review and revise the international treaty governing the use of the radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits. Each nation then puts the agreement into practice through its own laws and allocation processes.

The next WRC is due to occur at the end of 2027 (WRC-27). At the moment, the host country has yet to be decided – but the spectrum community understands the only candidates to be China and Rwanda.

This is important – the host country’s role goes beyond just prestige. It has significant technical and geopolitical implications in terms of the way the conference is conducted. Given the focus of WRC-27 on satellite services and proposed new bands being studied for 5G / 6G, US policymakers must take seriously – and urgently – the possibility that China will host it.