India set to host its 1st World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly next month

New Delhi : World telecom leader, experts and academia from more than 190 countries are set to attend the 10-day World Telecom Standardisation Assembly (WTSA2024) in India next month, as the country becomes a global leader in telecom-related technologies.

The ‘WTSA 2024’ is being held for the first time in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) history of 150 years in the national capital from October 14-24.

According to DoT, India hosting the ‘WTSA-2024’ is an opportunity to influence the global telecom agenda as we prepare for advancements like 6G and beyond.

Now, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has set the ball rolling by launching the WTSA 2024 Outreach Sessions.

Scheduled in Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru, the outreach sessions aim to provide a distinctive platform to students for learning and direct engagement with industry experts, fostering meaningful interactions and knowledge exchange.

On Friday, the outreach sessions were held at Delhi Technical University (Delhi), Indian Institute of Science (Bangalore) and Indian Institute of Information Technology (Hyderabad).

Prominent members from ITU, National Communication Academy, Telecom Engineering centre, senior professors and leading experts from the telecom industry engaged students in discussions about the WTSA, ITU, and the critical role of telecom standards in fostering global connectivity and innovation.

The sessions emphasised how standardisation supports the deployment of technologies like 5G and the upcoming 6G, ensuring interoperability and influencing the future of global telecommunications.

The event was attended by more than 500 students across the three institutes, in addition to more than 450 participants joining virtually.

The DoT also launched the 5G-6G Hackathon 2024, designed to identify and promote innovations and applications tailored to India's unique needs, fostering the development of next-generation telecom technologies.

The 'WTSA 2024' event marks the country’s growing importance in the global technology landscape. The WTSA is a quadrennial event and serves as the governing conference of the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) Standardisation Sector (ITU-T).