India is set to host the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) in October 2024, a landmark event in global telecom, marking the first time this critical International Telecommunication Union (ITU) conference will be held in the country. In preparation, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has launched a series of WTSA 2024 outreach sessions in major cities, including Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, to engage students and foster discussions on the future of global communications.
The outreach sessions, held on Thursday at Delhi Technical University, the Indian Institute of Science (Bengaluru), and the Indian Institute of Information Technology (Hyderabad), attracted more than 500 students physically, with an additional 450 participants joining online. The sessions served as a platform for knowledge exchange and direct interaction with prominent figures from the telecom industry and academia.
Leading experts from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the National Communication Academy, the Telecom Engineering Centre, and other senior professionals discussed the importance of telecom standardization, particularly in the context of 5G and the upcoming 6G. Emphasizing the role of standards in fostering global connectivity and innovation, the sessions highlighted India’s growing leadership in the telecom sector.
Following the outreach sessions, the DoT also launched the 5G-6G Hackathon 2024, aimed at fostering innovation and developing India-specific use cases for next-generation telecom technologies. Open to participants from government, academia, and industry, the hackathon seeks to promote applications tailored to India’s unique needs.
The WTSA 2024, scheduled from October 14-24 in New Delhi, will bring together representatives from over 190 countries, positioning India as a key player in shaping the future of telecom standards. The event underscores India’s rising influence in the global technology landscape and its role in driving the development of next-generation communication technologies.
Alongside the main conference, several side events will take place, including the ITU Kaleidoscope Conference (October 21-23), ITU Exhibitions (October 14-24), Network of Women (October 17), and AI for Good (October 18), all aimed at promoting inclusivity and innovation within the telecom sector.