Providing broadband access is a key priority for many governments around the world. The socio-economic benefits are well documented. Broadband helps provide access to a wide range of community services, such as healthcare and education, as well as information and entertainment while stimulating entrepreneurial activities.

By 2012, there are expected to be about 1.8 billion broadband subscribers globally, with around 70 percent on mobile networks. The unprecedented demand for mobile broadband services means additional radio spectrum is critical. The International Telecommunication Union estimates that the current amount of spectrum may need to be doubled or even tripled to handle demand up to 2020.

Radio spectrum is a limited resource and in order to manage international spectrum use, a World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) is held periodically to decide on the regulatory framework. The next conference, WRC 07, is scheduled to take place in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 22 to November 16 and will consider spectrum allocation typically implemented beyond 2015.

The decisions at WRC-07 will therefore have significant implications for the telecom industry and its ability to provide broadband to many under-served groups. Granting additional spectrum in the sub-5GHz frequencies will enable mobile broadband services in a cost-efficient manner and, if harmonized globally, will ensure roaming and economies of scale in network equipment, devices and services.

Low frequency spectrum, such as the 470-862MHz band, is needed to enable cost effective rollout in rural areas and to give improved indoor coverage in built up areas. Broadband over mobile networks is often the only way to quickly and conveniently reach those in remote areas. Australia's Telstra is a good example, rolling out broadband access with WCDMA/HSPA to more than 98 percent of the population in less than 10 months.

Higher spectrum bands, like the 2,300-2,400MHz and 3,400-4,200MHz bands, are needed to provide extra capacity in densely populated areas. This is vital because more traffic is already generated by data and information-based services over mobile networks than by voice, with mobile broadband traffic expected to grow at least 30-fold by 2012.

Allocating new spectrum bands for mobile services at WRC-07 is an opportunity that should not be missed, especially as it typically takes a decade between the identification of spectrum and actual commercial use. It would pave the way for the next generation of mobile services and enable broadband to reach a wider public, bridging the digital divide between rural and urban areas - and making it affordable to all.