13th Americas Spectrum Management Conference

Event Overview

The 13th Americas Spectrum Management Conference took place on October 1-2, 2024 in Washington D.C. at the Washington Plaza Hotel. 

Across 2 days attendees had the opportunity to be involved in discussions on the key spectrum topics for the Americas region and beyond, through interactive sessions, networking opportunities, an exhibition area and much more.

This event is part of The Global Spectrum Series. The world’s largest collection of regional spectrum policy conferences. Click on the images on the left to find out more about the series and to the event vlog from last year.

  • Event Vlog

    Highlights from the event in Washington D.C. in October 2023
  • Global Spectrum Series

    This event takes place as part of the Global Spectrum Series - the world’s largest collection of regional spectrum policy conferences.

Key Themes

Hover over the image to find out more…

  • The National Spectrum Strategy

  • Outcomes of WRC-23 & the path towards WRC-27

  • The spectrum pipeline

    mid-band and beyond
  • Spectrum sharing models and trends

  • Rural connectivity and subsidy programmes

  • Meeting connectivity needs of an evolving satellite sector

    Spectrum roadmaps and outlooks
  • Direct-to-device connectivity

  • A spectrum roadmap for 6G

  • CBRS 2.0

  • Meeting the needs of vertical users and private networks

Event Background

Launched in 2012, and now in its thirteenth year, The Americas Spectrum Management Conference takes place annually in Washington D.C., with the exception of fully virtual editions in 2020 and 2021.

 

Over 200 delegates joined 2 days of discussions in October 2023. Watch the event vlog below to find out more.

Organisers & Partners

Organised by

Platinum Partners

newsky.plus logo

Gold Partners

Silver Partners

Knowledge Partners

NERA

AV & Entertainment Partner

Speakers Included

Anna Gomez

Commissioner
FCC

Brendan Carr

Brendan Carr

Commissioner
FCC

Chantal Davis

Chantal Davis

Senior Director, Regulatory Policy
ISED Canada

Troy Tanner

Acting Chief, Office of International Affairs
FCC

Artur Coimbra

Commissioner
ANATEL Brazil

Shiva Goel

Senior Advisor, Spectrum Policy,
NTIA

Jessica Quinley

Assistant Bureau Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
FCC

Jennifer Gilsenan

Deputy Chief, Space Bureau
FCC

Andrew Pegues

Andrew Pegues, Foreign Affairs Officer,
U.S. Department of State

Reema Hafez

Reema Hafez

Director, Space Services – Planning
ISED Canada

Tom Stroup

Tom Stroup

President
SIA

Tom Power

Tom Power

Senior Counsel
CTIA

Alan Norman

Alan Norman

Public Policy Director
Meta

Pascal Dumit

Pascale Dumit

Director, International Spectrum Policy
T-Mobile

Fernando Carrillo

Fernando Carrillo

Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs
EchoStar Hughes Corporation

Jeffrey Marks

Jeff Marks

Vice President, Government and Policy Advocacy
Ericsson

Aspa Paroutsas

Aspasia Paroutsas

Vice President, Federal Regulatory Affairs
Qualcomm

Prakash Moorut

Prakash Moorut

Global Head of Spectrum & Regulatory Affairs
Shure

Hank Hultquist

Hank Hulquist

Vice President, Federal Regulatory
AT&T

Patrick Welsh

Patrick Welsh

Director, Government Relations
Verizon

Martha Suarez

President
Dynamic Spectrum Alliance

Jonathan Campbell

Legal Advisor to Chairwoman Rosenworcel
FCC

You can view the agenda in your preferred time zone by selecting it from the list below.

Please kindly note, speakers with * are to be confirmed

Day One
2024-10-01
Day Two
2024-10-02
09:00 - 09:20
Keynote Presentation
Keynote Presentation image
Anna Gomez
Commissioner, FCC
09:20 - 10:35
Session 1: The National Spectrum Strategy – key objectives, timelines and the path ahead

Following the release of the National Spectrum Strategy (NSS) last year, the NTIA published the NSS Implementation Plan (I-Plan) in March of this year, which looked to identify more concretely the next steps and path ahead in the four pillars that have been identified: Spectrum pipeline, Long-term collaborative planning, spectrum access through technology development and workforce development. This session will look at the key objectives that have been set as part of the NSS, the timeframe and targets that have been outlined as part of the I-Plan, and the broad path ahead as the implementation of the strategy begins. With 2,786 MHz of spectrum across 5 different bands identified to be studied for repurposing, in order to help fuel ‘next-generation services’, the session will explore the work that now lies ahead, and the extent to which the NSS can help to meet the objectives that have been set of delivering U.S. leadership in wireless technologies.

 

  • How ambitious is the NSS and to what extent can these ambitions be met?
  • What potential does each of the 5 bands that make up the 2,786MHz of spectrum identified to be studied as part of the NSS offer in terms of helping to meet future connectivity and technology requirements?
  • What technical studies are underway and are any early results emerging?
  • What timelines have been set for these studies to take place and are these timelines realistic?
  • Has the NSS got the right balance in terms of considering both licenced and unlicenced spectrum users, and to finding additional spectrum for space development and specific uses like drones and automobiles alongside terrestrial mobile?
  • What role can dynamic sharing models play going forward to help maximise the efficiency of key spectrum bands, and is the focus given to this as part of the NSS the right way to go?
  • How are other sharing methods covered and what different approaches should be considered?
  • What are the key targets and objectives that have been set as part of ‘long-term collaborative planning’ and ‘workforce development’ pillars? Are there lessons thst can be taken from previous efforts in these areas and how could these be applied to the NSS?
  • To what extent could a potential change in administration in this year’s election affect the long-term plans for the strategy?
  • To what extent could the NSS pave the way to accelerate the United States’ world leadership in broadband wireless innovation?
Session 1: The National Spectrum Strategy – key objectives, timelines and the path ahead image
Moderator: Ruth Milkman
Partner, Quadra Partners
Session 1: The National Spectrum Strategy – key objectives, timelines and the path ahead image
Shiva Goel
Senior Advisor, Spectrum Policy, NTIA
Session 1: The National Spectrum Strategy – key objectives, timelines and the path ahead image
Jonathan Campbell
Legal Advisor to Chairwoman Rosenworcel, FCC
Session 1: The National Spectrum Strategy – key objectives, timelines and the path ahead image
Tom Stroup
President, SIA
Session 1: The National Spectrum Strategy – key objectives, timelines and the path ahead image
Umair Javed
Senior Vice President and General Counsel, CTIA
Session 1: The National Spectrum Strategy – key objectives, timelines and the path ahead image
Alan Norman
Public Policy Director, Meta
Session 1: The National Spectrum Strategy – key objectives, timelines and the path ahead image
Traci Biswese
Vice President and Associate General Counsel, NCTA
10:35 - 10:55
Refreshment Break
10:55 - 12:00
Session 2: WRC-23 and WRC-27 – working together to deliver on national and regional goals and priorities

Almost a year has now passed since the crucial World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23) in Dubai. Stakeholders across the US and the Americas have had time to reflect on the decisions that were taken on key agenda items, assess their impact, and consider the next steps. This session will take the opportunity to look back on the conference, to examine the key objectives that were set by the US and the wider Americas region (through CITEL), and the extent to which these were met. It will then look forward to WRC-27, and with the second CITEL PCC.II meeting being held a week before this conference, discuss the positions that are emerging and the significant topics that will likely dominate discussions over the next 4 years. It will ask if there are any lessons that can be taken from the experiences at WRC-23 and look at what preparation already needs to begin to ensure a successful ‘cycle’ for the region this time around.

 

  • What were the key priorities for the US and the broader CITEL region going into WRC-23 and to what extent were these achieved?
  • In which agenda items was it not possible to achieve fully coordinated outcomes across the Americas, and what mechanisms and footnotes were introduced as a result of this? What flexibilities do these then allow, and what are likely to be the next steps?
  • What lessons can be gleaned from the conference to inform and improve participation in the following preparatory meetings and future WRCs?
  • Are there improvements that could be made at a national and CITEL level in order to improve the preparatory processes and add additional influence to the regional ‘voice’ and positions?
  • Moving forward, what are the main agenda items up for discussion at WRC-27 and what timeline or framework for studies in these areas can be expected?
  • What outcomes were seen at the 2nd PCC.II meeting last week? To what extent are regional and national positions emerging (or potentially shifting) in the post-WRC environment? In which areas and agenda items are we seeing early movement towards a regional consensus, and in which areas are positions less aligned?
  • Are trends being seen towards either increased or decreased coordination and harmonization of spectrum policies across Region 2? How can regulators and policymakers continue to balance the need to consider the diverse spectrum needs and priorities of their own country, whilst also considering how this could affect the path towards WRC-27 and the overall influence of the region at the conference itself?
Session 2: WRC-23 and WRC-27 – working together to deliver on national and regional goals and priorities image
Moderator: Matt Pearl
Former Director for Emerging Technologies, White House National Security Council
Session 2: WRC-23 and WRC-27 – working together to deliver on national and regional goals and priorities image
Andrew Pegues
Foreign Affairs Officer, U.S. Department of State
Session 2: WRC-23 and WRC-27 – working together to deliver on national and regional goals and priorities image
Veena Rawat
Senior Spectrum Advisor, GSMA
Session 2: WRC-23 and WRC-27 – working together to deliver on national and regional goals and priorities image
Luigi Ardito
Chair, Global Spectrum Team, GSA
Session 2: WRC-23 and WRC-27 – working together to deliver on national and regional goals and priorities image
Martha Suarez
President, Dynamic Spectrum Alliance
Session 2: WRC-23 and WRC-27 – working together to deliver on national and regional goals and priorities image
Kimberly Baum
Global Spectrum & Regulatory Policy, GSOA
12:00 - 12:55
Session 3: A spectrum strategy to ensure global leadership – balancing the need to meet national targets with the need for international coordination

The focus of the opening two sessions of this conference has been on the national spectrum strategy and WRC-23, both of which are expected to play a big part in shaping the future spectrum environment, despite coming from different angles. Whilst the NSS focusses specifically on domestic challenges and requirements; the purpose of WRC-23 is to foster regional and global coordination, to avoid cross-border interference and to unlock benefits that will come as part of this. This highlights one of the major challenges for national regulators – to find the balance between the need to move quickly and take decisions based on specific national requirements, whilst also working alongside international partners to coordinate policy decisions and approaches. This session will discuss this in detail and look at the approach taken in recent years, the trends that are being seen today, and where the balance lies in delivering a spectrum strategy that maintains a position of global leadership.

 

  • How does the spectrum ecosystem in the US and other countries in the Americas differ from that in other countries and regions around the world? What challenges and opportunities could this provide?
  • Over recent years, the US has been a first mover globally when taking decisions on key bands (for example 600MHz, 6GHz, mmWave; and the Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) regulatory framework). To what extent have these been the correct decisions?
  • Is there a risk that moving early could lead to potential isolation if others don’t take the decision to follow? What impact could this have if so?
  • Is the US market large enough to mean that economies of scale are not overly affected, or could this be a risk to the US’s global leadership position? How important is coordination to those countries in the region with smaller regional markets?
  • How can the balance be found between taking decisions quickly based on specific national requirements and the need for international coordination?
  • How can regulators across the region work together to deliver global leadership across the region, whilst also ensuring that their respective national priorities and objectives are met?
Session 3: A spectrum strategy to ensure global leadership – balancing the need to meet national targets with the need for international coordination image
Moderator: Richard Marsden
Senior Managing Director, NERA Economic Consulting
Session 3: A spectrum strategy to ensure global leadership – balancing the need to meet national targets with the need for international coordination image
Troy Tanner
Acting Chief, Office of International Affairs, FCC
Session 3: A spectrum strategy to ensure global leadership – balancing the need to meet national targets with the need for international coordination image
Artur Coimbra
Commissioner, ANATEL Brazil
Session 3: A spectrum strategy to ensure global leadership – balancing the need to meet national targets with the need for international coordination image
Pascale Dumit
Director, International Spectrum Policy, T-Mobile
Session 3: A spectrum strategy to ensure global leadership – balancing the need to meet national targets with the need for international coordination image
Jeff Marks
Vice President, Government and Policy Advocacy, Ericsson
12:55 - 13:45
Lunch
13:45 - 15:00
Session 4: The mid-band ecosystem – balancing the need for spectrum for IMT with the requirements of other federal and commercial users

With its balance of speed, capacity, coverage, and penetration for cellular wireless networks, mid-band spectrum is crucial for 5G. Given its early focus on mmWave frequencies for 5G rollout, the US was initially playing catch-up when it came to making sufficient mid-band, but a big push has subsequently taken place to free up additional bandwidth in ranges such as the C-band and CBRS. So where does the US stand now? This session will discuss how much spectrum is now available for the continued growth of IMT, how this compares to other countries in the Americas and to other regions, and at whether the right balance has been reached in the band when it comes to making spectrum available for different users and uses.

 

  • Where does the US stand compared to other regions in terms of the amount of mid-band spectrum available for mobile, and the ways in which it is available (full power exclusive use, shared use etc.)?
  • To what degree is the potential of key mid-bands being maximised, and are there still ways that they can be utilised more efficiently and effectively? Have we found the best use for the mid-band spectrum?
  • As the requirement for additional spectrum is virtually infinite, what role does sharing play in allowing multiple technologies to coexist within the same band? Since no technologies are designed to transmit 100% of the time, to what extent can mitigation techniques such as duty cycle limits play a role in allowing access by multiple technologies? Can this be a technique for both licensed and unlicense technologies to coexist within the same band?
  • Is there enough mid-band spectrum available for future growth and development of commercial mobile services? Is there enough mid-band spectrum available for new technologies? If not, then how much more is needed and where can it come from?
  • If not, then how much more is needed and where can it come from?
  • To what extent do other key users like satellite, WiFi and military have adequate access to sufficient mid-band spectrum to meet their present and future requirements?
  • What are the sharing / relocation considerations within mid-bands?
  • What should be considered as the range for the ‘sweet-spot’ of mid-band spectrum that is so vital for IMT? What are the propagation and penetration characteristics of bands such as the 7-8GHz and 12GHz frequencies, and how may this affect their usefulness for IMT?
  • Is there scope for more military spectrum to be made available, and how can this be incentivised? If not, then what other options are there?
  • To what extent could bands such as the lower 3GHz band, the 7-8GHz band or the 4GHz band be options to deliver additional bandwidth?
  • Could there ever be scope to free up more from other commercial users (satellite or others)?
  • What would be a feasible roadmap and timeframe for making mid-band spectrum available?
Session 4: The mid-band ecosystem – balancing the need for spectrum for IMT with the requirements of other federal and commercial users image
Moderator: Armand Musey
President and Founder, Summit Ridge Group
Session 4: The mid-band ecosystem – balancing the need for spectrum for IMT with the requirements of other federal and commercial users image
Ira Keltz
Deputy Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology, FCC
Session 4: The mid-band ecosystem – balancing the need for spectrum for IMT with the requirements of other federal and commercial users image
Chris Woolford
Director, International Spectrum Policy, Ofcom
Session 4: The mid-band ecosystem – balancing the need for spectrum for IMT with the requirements of other federal and commercial users image
Hank Hulquist
Vice President, Federal Regulatory, AT&T
Session 4: The mid-band ecosystem – balancing the need for spectrum for IMT with the requirements of other federal and commercial users image
Fabiano Chaves
Head of Spectrum Standardization, North America, Nokia
Session 4: The mid-band ecosystem – balancing the need for spectrum for IMT with the requirements of other federal and commercial users image
Tim Harrington
Chairman, UWBA
Session 4: The mid-band ecosystem – balancing the need for spectrum for IMT with the requirements of other federal and commercial users image
Manish Jindal
GVP, Wireless R&D, Charter Communications, Charter
15:00 - 15:20
Refreshment Break
15:20 - 16:15
Session 5: Spotlight on CBRS 2.0 – what can be expected from the next phase?

Earlier this year, a major set of enhancements were made to the 3-tiered sharing model that is used within the CBRS band. ‘CBRS 2.0’ has been heralded by proponents as a major step forward, with greater performance, reliability, and reduced interference being promised. The session will look at the changes that have been applied, and the impact that they could have on the usability and value of this key mid-band spectrum for all of the users in the band. With critics saying to-date that the level of use in the band by mobile use has been relatively low, partly due to the disruption from incumbent military activities in the identified Dynamic Protection Areas (DPAs), to what extent can these new changes address these issues and what will this mean for the future use of the band?

 

  • What lessons have been learnt during the CBRS ‘journey’ so far, and how have these been taken into account when developing CBRS 2.0?
  • What changes are being proposed to the Dynamic Protection Areas (DPAs) and DPA neighbourhoods? What impact will this have on the usability of the available spectrum, and how is it being ensured that the protection of interference is still central?
  • To date, there is an argument that mobile operators haven’t really been using their PAL licence. Is this because the power restrictions and the sharing make this unattractive or is it just lower down the list of priorities and it will eventually be well used? How may the introduction of ‘CBRS 2.0’ impact this?
  • What impact could CBRS 2.0 have more broadly on the different users, and particularly on unlicenced users in the General Authorized Access (GAA) tier?
  • To what extent could the changes proposed as part of CBRS 2.0 make it more appealing as a model to explore in other bands in the future?
Session 5: Spotlight on CBRS 2.0 – what can be expected from the next phase? image
Moderator: Michael O’Reilly
President, MPORielly Consulting
Session 5: Spotlight on CBRS 2.0 – what can be expected from the next phase? image
Jessica Quinley
Assistant Bureau Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, FCC
Session 5: Spotlight on CBRS 2.0 – what can be expected from the next phase? image
Preston Marshall
Chairman, OnGo Alliance
Session 5: Spotlight on CBRS 2.0 – what can be expected from the next phase? image
Justin Markle
Head of Wireless Partnerships & Development, Comcast
Session 5: Spotlight on CBRS 2.0 – what can be expected from the next phase? image
Patrick Welsh
Director, Government Relations, Verizon
16:15 - 16:30
Thinking Point: Spectrum Sharing in Canada
Thinking Point: Spectrum Sharing in Canada image
Chantal Davis
Senior Director, Regulatory Policy, ISED Canada
16:30 - 17:45
Session 6: The continual evolution of spectrum sharing – ensuring a ‘win-win’ for all users

As the demands of our hyper-connected world outpace the availability of traditional spectrum, spectrum sharing is set to become increasingly part of the connectivity landscape. However, sharing always means a compromise of some kind – there are always technical and regulatory challenges to overcome, and restrictions or limits of some kind need to be put into place in order to ensure the protection of all users from harmful interference. The trick is to ensure that even with these compromises, sharing still leads to a ‘win-win’ scenario for the players involved and ensures that the overall value of the spectrum being shared is maximised. This session will look at the increasing importance that spectrum sharing will play in meeting future connectivity requirements, and at how technological and regulatory advances can help to ultimately deliver a successful sharing environment. It will explore different sharing models and techniques, including dynamic access, cognitive radio technologies, licensed shared access models, geographic sharing and unlicensed models like CBRS (including its new iteration ‘CBRS 2.0’, discussed in the previous session); and explore models for both sharing between different commercial users and also between commercial and federal users. How successful has spectrum sharing been to date, what lessons have been learnt, and what needs to be done to ensure sharing of spectrum results in a ‘win-win’ and not a ‘lose-lose’ scenario?

 

  • What different sharing models and approaches are currently in use across North America and what results are being seen?
  • How may sharing models evolve in the future, and what impact could advancements in technologies (such as Next Generation Massive MIMO & AI Driven Systems, Dynamic Adjustable Antennas) have on this?
  • What actions have been set out as part of the ‘moonshot’ effort to advance dynamic spectrum sharing?
  • Is the attention that is being given to dynamic sharing specifically justified? How are existing dynamic sharing models working and what evidence has been seen to date on how successful they can be?
  • What particular technical and regulatory challenges arise when considering shared solutions involving mobile services alongside any other users? What options and mechanisms are being used to overcome these and how successful have they been?
  • Can sharing of this type involving mobile services ever be a win-win; or are the limits that are required in order to facilitate interference-free coexistence with other services always going to be too restrictive and significantly affect the usefulness of the spectrum?
  • Do the characteristics of mmWave spectrum lend itself to a shared solution where it is used for IMT in dense, urban areas, and then other users in more rural areas? How could this work in practice?
  • What bands offer most potential for the introduction of a shared approach in the future? Could there still be an option for introducing sharing in the upper 6GHz – either indoor/outdoor (allowing high-powered outdoor use and indoor unlicenced) or some kind of CBRS approach?
Session 6: The continual evolution of spectrum sharing – ensuring a ‘win-win’ for all users image
Moderator: Paul Kirby
Senior Editor, Wolters Kluwer’s TR Daily
Session 6: The continual evolution of spectrum sharing – ensuring a ‘win-win’ for all users image
Mike Di Francisco
Senior Technical Advisor, Office of Spectrum Management, NTIA