The United States’ radiocommunication interests are global. Communications are the backbone of our economic and national security and radiocommunications are a critical component of the United States’ overall communications interests. Radio signals traverse borders, oceans and space. The mobility of radio systems leads to services, technologies, and operations that span the global community and economy. The successful development and implementation of radiocommunications depend on international agreements reached at World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs). These conferences meet every three to four years under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to update the international radio regulations on the use of the radio spectrum. The ITU is a specialized agency of the United Nations, and has 189 member states. The outcome of WRCs provides the international regulatory framework for the use of radiocommunication systems vital to U.S. economic growth, U.S. national security, safety of life and property, and scientific investigations. The United States must continue its success at these international conferences in negotiating spectrum allocations and regulations forward-looking and flexible enough to accommodate technologies and operations that the United States will need in the future.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) in its report, Telecommunications: Better Coordination and Enhanced Accountability Needed to Improve Spectrum Management (GAO-02-096), recommended that the Department of State, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) “jointly review the adequacy of the preparation process following the 2003 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) and develop recommendations for improvements.”^{^[1]} The GAO noted challenges that the United States faces in its WRC preparation.^{^[2]} The challenges include development of positions and proposals, appointment of the U.S. WRC Ambassador, formation of the U.S. WRC Delegation (Delegation), maintenance of a cadre of U.S. Government employees to serve as U.S. negotiators, designation of staff and financial resources, and an increasing dependence on regional representation. The GAO suggested that the United States must assess these challenges at the start of the U.S. preparation process for developing U.S. positions to ensure success during the process.

NTIA reviewed the U.S. processes for preparation and participation in WRCs considering input from the private sector^{^[3]} and the federal agencies, reports of past WRC Ambassadors, and NTIA staff experience. As a result, NTIA concluded that the United States has been very successful in achieving its objectives at these conferences. For example, the United States successfully promoted, the growth of international satellite services and implementation of multiple and flexible technologies for public mobile communications. The United States has not only met these commercial needs, it has also fulfilled requirements for safety operations, national security and scientific exploration. At the same time, NTIA noted that increasing international competition in radio services and technologies and potentially conflicting requirements for the radio spectrum make finding solutions more challenging.

The United States has improved its preparatory process for WRCs, overcoming many of the concerns raised in the past regarding its activities leading up to WRCs. In preparing for the most recent WRC, WRC-03, NTIA and the FCC developed most positions and proposals far earlier than at previous conferences. Both agencies established new processes for resolving conflicts. The United States also raised its level of participation in preparatory meetings of other regions. The United States built strong relationships and was able to bring together a united front within the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission Permanent Consultative Committee II (CITEL PCCII).^{^[4]} As a result of increased U.S. participation in CITEL, the United States was able to positively influence the outcome of Inter-American proposals and positions. This not only served to meet U.S. goals, but also aided in coalescing regional objectives. This is significant because the international negotiating mechanisms continue to evolve toward a greater emphasis on regional positions. The U.S. Ambassador to WRC-03, Ambassador Janice Obuchowski, noted that the United States’ success at WRC-2003 “would not have been possible without painstaking and comprehensive preparatory efforts prior to the conference.”^{^[5]} Ambassador Obuchowski added that “we were the beneficiaries of effective preparatory processes spearheaded by the Federal Communications Commission, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and this (State) Department, through the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Office of International Communications and Information Policy.”^{^[6]} The United States also accomplished it