An international agreement has been reached on new frequency bands proposed by Japan for use in high-altitude platform stations, an emerging technology that aims to provide expanded mobile coverage to areas lacking connectivity, the communications ministry said Wednesday.
The technology, also known as HAPS, refers to systems where unmanned aircraft flying in the stratosphere can be operated like telecommunication base stations.
The identification of new spectrum resources is expected to provide tailwinds for Japanese companies involved in the development of HAPS, with the updated regulations to come into effect from 2025.
Base stations operating in the stratosphere can emit radio waves from an altitude of around 20 kilometers, enabling HAPS to provide greater telecommunications connectivity and coverage than ground-based stations.
Such connectivity is expected to enable the use of mobile phones even on remote islands and at sea and contribute to bridging the digital divide in nations with underdeveloped network infrastructure.
The rules for the frequency bands proposed by Japan were agreed upon at the World Radiocommunication Conference held in the United Arab Emirates from Nov. 20 to Dec. 15, with 163 countries participating.
The conference, organized by the International Telecommunication Union, is held every three to four years to review the international treaty governing the use of radio frequencies and satellite orbits.
"Japanese firms have been leading in data accumulation for HAPS, and we also want to support their work as a country," said an official of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
In September, Japanese mobile phone carrier SoftBank Corp. successfully tested its HAPS unmanned aircraft in the stratosphere, delivering 5G connectivity to Rwanda.
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. has been actively researching and developing the platform, collaborating with broadcasting company Sky Perfect JSAT Corp., among others.
