ITU’s role as creator of the world’s most universally-recognized infocommunications standards dates back as far as the organization itself. Since its inception in 1865, the Union has been brokering industry consensus on the technologies and services that form the backbone of the world’s largest, most interconnected man-made system. In 2007 alone, ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) produced over 160 new and revised standards (ITU-T Recommendations), covering everything from core network functionality and broadband to next-generation services like IPTV.
ITU-T Recommendations are defining elements in information and communication technologies (ICTs) infrastructure. Whether we exchange voice, data or video messages, communications cannot take place without standards linking the sender and the receiver. Today’s work extends well beyond the traditional areas of telephony to encompass a far wider range of information and communications technologies.
Today priority work areas include ensuring the needs of developing countries are taken into account in the development of global ICTs; accessibility; adopting international standards to ensure seamless global communications and interoperability for next generation networks (NGN); building confidence and security in the use of ICTs; emergency communications to develop early warning systems and to provide access to communications during and after disasters and the reduction of the impact of ICTs on climate change as well as create better understanding of how ICTs can mitigate its effects.
Throughout the course of every year, hundreds of experts gather at ITU meetings, contributing their time, know-how and expertise to the study groups which develop ITU-T Recommendations. With a majority of its membership from the private sector, ITU-T understands the crucial balance between rapid delivery and stability in standards development. The standards making process is subject to constant review ensuring that vital new standards are made available to the industry in the shortest possible time.
The Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB) provides essential logistical support to Study Groups including electronic working facilities and meeting management. It also manages promotion, workshops, membership, documents, finance, the website etc. Headed by an elected offical with the title Director, it is the body responsible for providing cohesion to ITU-T’s standards making process. TSB is based at ITU’s headquarters in Geneva, has many meeting rooms equipped with state-of-the-art meeting facilities and employs more than 60 multilingual staff.
ITU-T Standards in Action
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