Uwe Löwenstein joined Telefónica (O2) back in 1997, when “VIAG Interkom” built up the 4th GSM network in Germany. Based in Munich, he is now responsible for the Telefónica activities in terms of spectrum management, frequency coordination and Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMC). In addition he supports the Telefónica local operating businesses in their representation towards the national Regulatory Authorities (e.g. BNetzA). Throughout the German UMTS auction (2000) as well as throughout the German LTE auctions (2010 & 2015) he was part of the auction team with leading responsibility.

He is active in various national and international standardisation / spectrum fora within ITU, CEPT, 3GPP and ETSI to support and monitor the development in the areas of mobile technologies and new emerging technologies like cognitive radio, car-to-car communication and new 5G wireless access (e.g. IMT-Advanced / IMT-2020).

As Telefónica representative at ITU-R WP5D and ECC/CEPT PT1 (both responsible for IMT) and member of the German delegation at WRC-03 / WRC-07 / WRC-12 and WRC-15, he is currently involved in the preparation of WRC-19 in particular to AI 1.13 (IMT-Spectrum), AI 1.12 (ITS) and AI 9.1.8 (machine-type communication).

ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs) and allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits, develop the technical standards that ensure networks and technologies seamlessly interconnect, and strive to improve access to ICTs to underserved communities worldwide. In quadrennial, so called “World radiocommunication conferences” (WRC) the job is to review, and, if necessary, revise the Radio Regulations (RR), the international treaty governing the use of the radio-frequency spectrum and the geostationary-satellite and non-geostationary-satellite orbits.

In this presentation, the work between WRC-15 and WRC-19 (11/2019) will be explained by highlighting the 5G-related issues towards WRC-19, presenting the current ITU-R activities and mapping-out the 5G-timing, the ITU framework and the European plans.

Furthermore, we will explore the spectrum bands under consideration and discuss possible additional spectrum for IMT. The presentation will then provide a brief outlook towards 5G (a.k.a. “IMT-2020”), outlining 5G usage and deployment scenarios and provide a summary of the discussed Radio interface technologies (RIT).