The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations
specialized agency in the field of telecommunications, information and
communication technologies (ICTs). The ITU Telecommunication Standardization
Sector (ITU-T) is a permanent organ of ITU. ITU-T is responsible for studying
technical, operating and tariff questions and issuing Recommendations on them
with a view to standardizing telecommunications on a worldwide basis.
The World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA),
which meets every four years, establishes the topics for study by the ITU‑T
study groups which, in turn, produce Recommendations on these topics.
The approval of ITU-T Recommendations is covered by the procedure laid down in
WTSA Resolution 1.
In some areas of information technology which fall within ITU-T's purview, the
necessary standards are prepared on a collaborative basis with ISO and IEC.