UN conference agrees to free bandwidth to meet mobile demand

0 Comments | AFP, November, 2007

GENEVA (AFP) — The United Nations body charged with coordinating global broadcast frequencies said on Friday it has agreed to free up more space to meet growing demand from mobile and broadband services.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) agreed on a new treaty setting out a spectrum of frequencies to be used by international mobile services, which it said should help bridge the "digital divide" between rich and poor countries.

"This year's conference has given us a real opportunity to open up the potential for industry and operators for the next 30 years," ITU Secretary General Hamadoun Toure told journalists.

Under the treaty, various parts of the broadcasting spectrum will be allocated specifically to mobile communications, including the...