Appendix J: International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Structure

J.1 Structure

J.1.1 The ITU, a United Nations (UN) Specialized Agency, is the leading UN agency for information and communication technologies and is recognized by the United States as the international organization for telecommunications policy and regulations (agreements). Figure J-1 presents the ITU structure with its components.

J.1.2 The structure of the ITU comprises:

a. The Plenipotentiary Conference, which is the supreme policy-making body of the Union.

b. The Council, which acts on behalf of the Plenipotentiary Conference.

c. World conferences on international telecommunications.

J.1.3 The ITU is further divided into the General Secretariat and three major Sectors:

a. The Radiocommunication Sector, including world and regional radiocommunication conferences, radiocommunication assemblies, and the Radio Regulations Board;

b. The Telecommunication Standardization Sector, including World Telecommunication Standardization Conferences;

c. The Telecommunication Development Sector, including world and regional telecommunication development conferences.

J.1.4 The authority of the ITU is derived from its member nations and is contained in the Constitution and Convention of the ITU. The authority is further complemented by the Administrative Regulations, which are the International Telecommunication Regulations, and the Radio Regulations, each of which are treaties.

J.2 Plenipotentiary Conference

J.2.1 The Plenipotentiary Conference meets every four years to determine the operational framework of the Union including:

a. Elect the Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General.

b. Elect the ITU Council members (a maximum of 25 percent of the total number of Member States).

c. Elect the Directors of the Bureaus of the Sectors and the Radio Regulations Board Members.

d. Authorize any World or Regional Radiocommunication Conferences.

e. Approve any changes to the ITU Constitution or ITU Convention.

f. Determine the budget for the Union.

J.3 Council

J.3.1 The Council meets annually and is presently comprised of 46 members elected by the Plenipotentiary to serve until the next Plenipotentiary. The functions served by the ITU Council include:

a. Establish agenda and actual dates for upcoming conferences.

b. Manage Union resources between Plenipotentiary meetings.

J.4 Radiocommunication Sector

J.4.1 The functions of the Radiocommunication Sector are to fulfill the purposes of the Union relating to radiocommunications:

a. By ensuring the rational, equitable, efficient and economical use of the radio-frequency spectrum by all radiocommunication services.

b. By carrying out studies without limit of frequency range and adopting recommendations on radiocommunication matters.

J.4.2 The Radiocommunication Sector works through:

a. World and regional radiocommunication conferences.

b. The Radio Regulations Board.

c. Radiocommunication assemblies, which are associated with world radiocommunication conferences held once every three to four years.

d. Radiocommunication study groups and their associated working parties and task groups.

e. The Radiocommunication Bureau, headed by the elected Director.

J.5 Telecommunication Standardization Sector

J.5.1 The functions of the Telecommunication Standardization Sector are to fulfill the purposes of the Union relating to telecommunication standardization:

a. By studying technical, operating, and tariff questions; and adopting recommendations with a view to standardizing telecommunications on a worldwide basis.

J.5.2 The Telecommunication Standardization Sector works through:

a. World telecommunication standardization conferences.

b. Telecommunication standardization study groups.

c. The Telecommunication Standardization Bureau headed by the elected Director.

J.6 Telecommunication Development Sector

J.6.1 The functions of the Telecommunication Development Sector are to fulfill the purposes of the Union relating to telecommunication development:

a. By promoting and offering technical assistance to countries in the field of telecommunications.

b. By promoting the mobilization of the material and financial resources needed for implementation.

c. By promoting the extension of the benefits of the new telecommunication technologies to all the world's inhabitants.

J.7 Radiocommunication Study Groups

J.7.1 The study groups of the Radiocommunication Sector are responsible for specific areas of technical interest as follows:

Study Group	Name of Group
1	Spectrum Management
3	Radiowave Propagation
4	Satellite Services
5	Terrestrial Services
6	Broadcasting Service
7	Science Services

J.7.2 The United States uses a similar structure for its National Radiocommunication Study Groups (see Appendix K, Figure K-1, and Figure K-2).

Figure J-1 The ITU Structure

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