International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Contents
- Overview
- ITU Council
- ITU Plenipotentiary Conference
- ITU Telecommunication Sector
- World Telecommunication Standardisation Assemblies
- International Telecommunications Regulations
- ITU Radiocommunication Sector
- ITU Development Sector
- World Telecommunication Development Conferences
- Australia's Support for Development Activities
- Contact details
- Related links
Overview
The 
ITU is the specialised United Nations agency responsible for international cooperation in the use of telecommunications and the radiofrequency spectrum. It establishes treaty agreements and recommends world standards for telecommunications and radiocommunications (including satellite) services. Membership of the ITU includes 191 governments and approximately 700 non-government entities.
The Department manages Australia's membership and participation in the ITU.
There are as many as 80 specialist ITU meetings annually, including study groups which develop recommendations for international adoption. The Australian Government and private organisations participate in many of these. Broadcasters, telecommunications carriers and other elements of the communications industry have a close interest in the work of the ITU.
ITU Council
The Department represents Australia's interests at meetings of the ITU Council, which manages the affairs of the ITU between the four-yearly Plenipotentiary Conferences. The Council meets annually at the ITU Headquarters in Geneva. It is composed of members elected by the Plenipotentiary Conference. Australia has been a member of the Council since 1959 and was most recently re-elected at the 2006 Plenipotentiary Conference.
ITU Plenipotentiary Conference
The Plenipotentiary Conference is the top policy-making body of the ITU held every four years. The Conference sets the Union's general policies, adopts five-year strategic and financial plans and elects the senior management team of the organization and the members of Council. The Department represents Australia's interests at ITU Plenipotentiary Conferences.
The next Plenipotentiary Conference will be held in Veracruz, Mexico from 4 to 22 October 2010.
ITU Standardisation Sector
The ITU Telecommunication Standardisation Sector (ITU-T) is one of the three Sectors of the ITU. The ITU-T's mission is to ensure efficient and timely development of high quality standards (Recommendations) covering all fields of telecommunications. The standardisation work of ITU-T is carried out by the technical Study Groups. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) manages Australias involvement in most of the 13 ITU-T Study Groups.
World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) represents Australia's interests at the ITU World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly. The WTSA, usually held every four years, is the peak conference of the ITU-T. It sets the Sector's work program for the following four-year study period and considers the methods of functioning of the ITU-T. The most recent WTSA meeting was held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 21 to 30 October 2008.
International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs)
The ITRs constitute an international treaty covering the provision and operation of international telecommunications services offered to the public and the underlying international telecommunications transport means used to provide such services. The ITRs were last amended at a global conference in 1988 in Melbourne.
ITU Radiocommunication Sector
The ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) plays an important role in the management of the radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits. These can be considered finite natural resources which are increasingly in demand from a large number of services such as fixed, mobile, broadcasting, amateur, space research, meteorology, global positioning systems, environmental monitoring and, last but not least, those communication services that ensure safety of life at sea and in the skies. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) manages Australias involvement in ITU-R.
ITU Development Sector
The mission of the Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D) is to assist developing countries in the field of information and communication technologies (ICTs) including promoting access to ICTs and actions that narrow the digital divide. The ITU-D develops and manages programs that facilitate information flow geared to the needs of developing countries. The Department manages Australia's involvement in ITU-D.
World Telecommunication Development Conferences
The World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) is the key decision-making conference of the ITU-D. The conference is held every four years and decides the priorities, strategies, budget and operational plans for the ITU-D for the next four-year period. The Department represents Australias interests at the WTDC. The next WTDC will be held in Hyderabad, India from 24 May to 4 June 2010.
Australia's Support for Development Activities
Australia supports a range of communication and information technology development activities in the Asia Pacific region through the ITU Development Sector. Australia’s contributions are used to fund projects mostly focused on capacity building initiatives in the areas of ICT regulation and cyber-security in the Asia Pacific region. Examples include:
- supporting training workshops—such as Centre of Excellence training courses, the ACMA International Training Program, Asia-Pacific Regional Forums on Cybersecurity and studies on developing a Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) for the Pacific region
- providing direct country assistance in response to specific needs on a range of legislative and regulatory issues including tariffs, interconnection, spectrum management and telecommunication laws and policy.
