International Telecommunications Union
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is an intergovernmental organisation under the auspices of the United Nations. It seeks to enable economic growth and social development through ongoing advancement of telecommunications and information networks.
Founded on the principle of international cooperation between governments (Member States) and private sectors (Sector Members, Associates and Academia), the ITU is the premier global forum through which parties work towards consensus on a wide range of issues affecting the future direction of the information and communication technologies (ICT) industry.
The ITU comprises of three sectors, each managing a different aspect of the matters handled by the Union:
- Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R): manage international consensus in the use of radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbit resources.
- Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T): coordinate standards-making for telecommunication services.
- Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D): establish policies, regulations, training programs and financial strategies for assisting developing countries in ICT development.
New Zealand is a Member State of the ITU.
International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
Plenipotentiary Conferences
Plenipotentiary Conferences (PP) are held every four years. It is usually hosted by an ITU Member State.
As a Member State of the ITU, New Zealand is a signatory to the ITU Constitution and Convention as amended by the Plenipotentiary Conference, which set out the rights and obligations of ITU Member States and provisions for the functioning of the ITU. The ITU Administrative Regulations, which include the international Radio Regulations (RR) and International Telecommunication Regulations (ITR), complement the Constitution and Convention. These documents form binding treaties for all ITU Member States.
New Zealand sent a delegation to the PP-14 in Busan, Korea between 20 October and 7 November 2014.
Plenipotentiary Conferences (PP)
ITU Constitution and Convention
International Telecommunication Regulations (ITR)
World Radiocommunication Conferences
World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRC) are held every three to four years to review and, if necessary, revise the international Radio Regulations (RR).
New Zealand is a signatory to the Final Acts of the WRC which gives international treaty status to the associated Radio Regulations – a treaty governing the use of radio-frequency spectrum and the geostationary-satellite and non-geostationary-satellite orbits.
New Zealand sent a delegation to the WRC-15 in Geneva, Switzerland between 2 and 27 November 2015.
World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRC)
ITU-R Study Groups
ITU-R Study Groups are established and assigned study questions by a Radiocommunication Assembly (RA) to prepare draft recommendations for approval by ITU Member States.
There are six Study Groups (SGs) specialising in the following areas:
Each Study Group (or its associated Working Party), when identified as Responsible Group for an WRC agenda item, is responsible to develop technical bases for decisions taken at the WRC. This comprises the development of global standards (Recommendations), Reports and Handbooks on various radiocommunication matters.
For the study period between 2016 and 2019 leading to WRC-19, a new Task Group (namely TG 5/1) is established as the responsible group for the WRC-19 Agenda item 1.13.
