We are pleased to announce the “Second Roundtable on the Global Microwave Link Data Collection Initiative (GMDI)“. This event will take place on 21 May 2025, from 09:00 to 17:00 CET, at the ITU Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Building on the success of the first roundtable held in September 2024, this meeting aims to review progress, refine strategies, and advance the initiative’s goals for the global collection and utilization of commercial microwave link (CML) data in hydrometeorological applications.
CMLs have emerged as valuable tools for rainfall observation, particularly in data-scarce regions such as developing countries. However, the lack of standardized data collection and sharing mechanisms has limited their broader application. The GMDI seeks to address these challenges by fostering collaboration between stakeholders in telecommunications and hydrometeorology, including mobile network operators (MNOs), CML hardware vendors, national meteorological and hydrological services, researchers, and organizations such as ITU, EUMETNET, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
- Standardization of CML data collection and sharing;
- Incentives and business models to encourage participation;
- Technical solutions to support CML data collection;
- Best practices and recommendations for CML data use in hydrometeorology.
The primary objective of this roundtable is to advance the Global Microwave Link Data Collection Initiative by:
- Reviewing progress made since the first roundtable;
- Identifying and addressing critical barriers to CML data collection and sharing;
- Refining strategies for standardization, technical solutions, and stakeholder engagement.;
- Strengthening collaboration between telecommunications and hydrometeorology stakeholders.
