ITU, is the abbreviation of International Telecommunication Union, is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for all matters related to information and communication technologies. Established in 1865 as the International Telegraph Union it is one of the oldest international organizations in operation.
The union was initially aimed at helping connect telegraphic networks between countries, with its mandate consistently broadening with the advent of new communications technologies; it adopted its current name in 1934 to reflect its expanded responsibilities over radio and the telephone. On 15 November 1947, the ITU entered into an agreement with the newly created United Nations to become a specialized agency within the UN system, which formally entered into force on 1 January 1949.
The union promotes the shared global use of the radio spectrum, facilitates international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, assists in developing and coordinating worldwide technical standards, and works to improve telecommunication infrastructure in the developing world. It is also active in the areas of broadband Internet, wireless technologies, aeronautical and maritime navigation, radio astronomy, satellite-based meteorology, TV broadcasting, and next-generation networks.
Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the ITU’s global membership includes 193 countries and around 900 business, academic institutions, and international and regional organizations.
ITU Sectors
The union comprises three Sectors, each managing a different aspect of the matters handled by the Union, as well as ITU Telecom. The sectors were created during the restructuring of ITU at its 1992 Plenipotentiary Conference.
- Radio communication (ITU-R): Established in 1927 as the International Radio Consultative Committee or CCIR (from its French name Comité consultatif international pour la radio), this Sector manages the international radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbit resources. In 1992, the CCIR became the ITU-R.
- Standardization (ITU-T): Standardization was the original purpose of the union since its inception. Established in 1956 as the International Telephone and Telegraph Consultative Committee or CCITT (from its French name Comité consultatif international téléphonique et télégraphique), this Sector standardizes global telecommunications (except for radio).[16] In 1993, the CCITT became the ITU-T. The Standardization work is undertaken by Study Groups, such as Study Group 13 on Networks and Study Group 16 on Multimedia. The parent body of the Study Groups is the quadrennial World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly. New work areas can be developed in Focus Groups, such as the Focus Group on Machine Learning for 5G and the ITU-WHO Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence for Health.
- Development (ITU-D): Established in 1992, this Sector helps spread equitable, sustainable and affordable access to information and communication technologies (ICT). It also provides the Secretariat for the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development
- ITU Telecom: ITU Telecom organizes major events for the world’s ICT community.
A permanent General Secretariat, headed by the Secretary General, manages the day-to-day work of the Union and its sectors.