Categories

The following entities or organizations may become Sector Members according to the relevant provisions of the Convention and for which the admission procedure may vary:

1. Recognized Operating Agencies (ROA), Scientific or Industrial Organizations (SIO) and financial or development institutions (FDI), which should be approved by the Administration of the Member State concerned;
   
   
2. Other entities dealing with telecommunication matters, which should be approved by the Administration of the Member State concerned;
   
   
3. Regional and other international telecommunication, standardization, financial or development organizations. Their application should be sent directly to the ITU Secretary-General.

Definitions

• A recognized operating agency is any operating agency (i.e. any individual, company, corporation or governmental agency which operates a telecommunication installation intended for an international telecommunication service or capable of causing harmful interference with such a service), which operates a public correspondence or broadcasting service and upon which the obligations provided for in Article 6 of the ITU Constitution are imposed by the Member State in whose territory the head office of the agency is situated, or by the Member State which has authorized this operating agency to establish and operate a telecommunication service on its territory.
  
  
• A scientific or industrial organization is any organization, other than a governmental establishment or agency, which is engaged in the study of telecommunication problems or in the design or manufacture of equipment intended for telecommunication services.

Financial contribution

The expenses of the ITU are at present primarily met by the contributions of Member States and Sector Members.

The amount for one contributory unit for Sector Members corresponds to 1/5 of the unit amount set for Member States. This amount is determined every two years by the ITU Council for the duration of a biennial budgetary period. The annual amount set for one contributory unit for Sector Members is 63,600 Swiss Francs per year.

The choice of the class of contributory unit is voluntary and this choice does not have an impact on the rights and obligations of a Sector Member. Sector Members may choose their unit class in accordance with their importance and the image they wish to convey to the world. ITU-T Sector Members may choose from a scale of contributory units ranging from a minimum of 1/2 contributory unit (31,800 Swiss Francs) up to 1,2,3 or more contributory units (the maximum class that can be chosen is 40 units).