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ITU
If you were to ask most amateur radio operators what entity is
responsible for granting privileges to use portions of the radio
spectrum for amateur radio purposes the answer would likely be their
own national telecommunication authority. However, that's only
partially true. The ultimate authority for the use of the radio
spectrum is the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). It is
desirable that each amateur radio operator understand what the ITU is
and why its work and decisions are important.
Most countries are Member States of the ITU and by way of treaty
generally agree to be bound by the decisions of the ITU when it comes
to the usage of the radio spectrum. Each country can decide that a
certain use determined by the ITU may not apply in their own
jurisdiction. It is not common for countries to do that but it is
within their sovereign authority to do so.
The International Telecommunication Union is a United Nations agency
that deals with information and communications technology issues. They
have an extensive web site at www.itu.int
that details much of their
work. The ITU is based in Geneva, Switzerland and includes in its
membership 192 Member States and more than 700 Sector Members and
Associates.
ITU has coordinated the shared global use of the radio spectrum,
promoted international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits,
worked to improve telecommunication infrastructure in the developing
world, established the worldwide standards that foster seamless
interconnection of a vast range of communications systems and
addressed other global concerns, such as mitigating climate change and
strengthening cybersecurity.
The top staff official of the ITU is its Secretary-General, Dr.
Hamadoun Toure who is also a licensed radio amateur with the call sign
HB9EHT. There are three sectors in the ITU: Radio- communication
(ITU-R), Development (ITU-D) and Standardization (ITU-T). The IARU is
a Sector Member in both the ITU-R Sector and the ITU-D Sector. The
IARU fully participates in both of those sectors by attending any and
all meetings that involve issues that may impact the amateur or the
amateur-satellite services. The Secretary-General, the Deputy
Secretary-General and the Directors of the three ITU Sectors are
elected to four-year terms by the Member States at Plenipotentiary
Conferences held every four years. The IARU is a recognized
international telecommunication organization and is invited to
participate as an observer at the Plenipotentiary Conferences. The
most recent "Plenipot" was held in October, 2010 in Guadalajara,
Mexico.
The ITU Council was established in 1947 under the name Administrative
Council, following a decision taken by the 1947 Plenipotentiary
Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. The Council
comprises a maximum of 25% of the total number of Member States, which
are elected by the Conference with due regard to the need for
equitable distribution of Council seats among the five world regions
(Americas, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, and
Australasia). The current Council is comprised of 48 members.
The role of Council is to consider, in the interval between
Plenipotentiary Conferences, broad telecommunication policy issues to
ensure that the Union's activities, policies and strategies fully
respond to today's dynamic, rapidly changing telecommunications
environment. It also prepares a report on the policy and strategic
planning of the ITU. In addition, Council is responsible for ensuring
the smooth day-to-day running of the Union, coordinating work
programs, approving budgets and controlling finances and expenditures.
Finally, Council also takes all steps to facilitate the implementation
of the provisions of the ITU Constitution, the ITU Convention, the
Administrative Regulations (International Telecommunications
Regulations and Radio Regulations), the decisions of Plenipotentiary
Conferences and, where appropriate, the decisions of other conferences
and meetings of the Union. The IARU has attended several ITU Council
meetings in the recent past.
The ITU-R Sector is very important for radiocommunication services,
including the amateur and amateur-satellite services. Every 4 or 5
years the ITU holds a World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) to
revise the international Radio Regulations. It is the job of WRC to
review, and, if necessary, revise the Radio Regulations, the
international treaty governing the use of the radio-frequency spectrum
and the geostationary-satellite and non-geostationary-satellite
orbits. Revisions are made on the basis of an agenda determined by the
ITU Council, which takes into account recommendations made by previous
world radiocommunication conferences. The general scope of the agenda
of world radiocommunication conferences is established four to six
years in advance, with the final agenda set by the ITU Council two
years before the conference, with the concurrence of a majority of
Member States. The next WRC is scheduled for 23 January to 17 February
2012, just one year away.
Under the terms of the ITU Constitution, a WRC can:
1. revise the Radio Regulations and any associated Frequency
assignment and allotment Plans;
2. address any radiocommunication matter of worldwide character;
3. instruct the Radio Regulations Board and the Radiocommunication
Bureau, and review their activities;
4. determine Questions for study by the Radiocommunication Assembly
and its Study Groups in preparation for future Radiocommunication
Conferences.
There is a lengthy preparatory process for every WRC in which the IARU
participates as a Sector Member. There are usually countless meetings
dealing with each agenda item that has been determined to be on the
agenda for a WRC. Many of those agenda items can, and do, have a
substantial impact on the amateur radio usage of portions of the radio
spectrum. It is important for the IARU to participate to "protect our
frequencies" and when the opportunity presents itself, to expand our
spectrum.
ITU-R Study Groups and Working Parties address each agenda item on the
WRC agenda and try to arrive at a consensus and recommendation(s) how
the agenda item may be addressed or dealt with at the WRC. Studies are
conducted many times to determine how a proposed new usage may impact
the other services, or not. Each of these agenda items are thoroughly
discussed for at least a couple of years leading up to the WRC. You
can imagine how important it is for the worldwide amateur community
that IARU participate in the entire study group/working party process.
ITU-D is where much of the ITU's work on disaster response takes
place. The development arm of the ITU considers emergency
telecommunications an integral part of its projects integrating
telecommunications/information and communication technology in
disaster predication, detection, and alerting. Emergency
Telecommunications play a critical role in the immediate aftermath of
disasters by ensuring timely flow of vital information which is much
needed by government agencies, and other humanitarian actors that are
involved in rescue operations and providing medical assistance to the
injured. IARU's task in the ITU-D Sector is to ensure that amateur
radio's role in disaster communications is understood and appreciated
by the ITU members. The ITU-D Sector also conducts a worldwide
conference. The current schedule calls for a World Telecommunication
Development Conference every 4 years. In 2010, the WTDC was held in
Hyderabad, India in late May and early June. IARU participated in the
conference.
The ITU also sponsors regional and global exhibitions called TELECOMS.
An ITU Telecom offers a global ICT community platform that gathers
stakeholders from across the telecommunications/ICT sector to connect,
collaborate and create the future ICT landscape. Forums or seminars
related to ICT are conducted at the Telecoms and IARU has participated
in such forums, usually on topics related to emergency communications.
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