ITU-R Participation
ITU-R Participation

Overview

Founded in 1865, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) became a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1947, providing an international forum for its 189 Member States and some 690 Sector and Associate Members to collaborate for the worldwide improvement and rational use of telecommunications and radiocommunications.

The ITU fulfils this fundamental mission through its three Sectors: the Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R), the Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T), and the Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D).

All ITU work in the sphere of radiocommunications is consolidated in the Radiocommunication Sector, which works towards a worldwide consensus in the sound use of a vast and growing range of wireless services, including popular new mobile communication technologies.

The ITU-R plays a vital role in the management of the radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits, finite natural resources which are increasingly in demand from a large number of services such as fixed, mobile, broadcasting, amateur, space research, meteorology, global positioning systems, environmental monitoring and, last but not least, those communication services that ensure safety of life at sea and in the skies.

Much of the work of the ITU-R is carried out within Study Groups. More than 1 500 specialists, from telecommunication organizations and administrations throughout the world, participate in the work of the Study Groups concerned with:

  • drafting Technical bases for Radiocommunication Conferences
  • developing Draft Recommendations
  • compiling Handbooks 
New Zealand contributes to the work of the ITU-R through the New Zealand Radio Sector. The New Zealand Radio Sector is a voluntary group of radio experts and is convened and administered by the Radio Spectrum Policy and Planning Group of the Ministry of Economic Development. The New Zealand Radio sector administers national Study Groups, the structure of which mirrors those of the ITU-R.

At present, there are six Study Groups specializing in the following areas:

Study Group 1: Radio Spectrum Management

Development of principles and techniques for effective spectrum management, sharing criteria and methods, techniques for spectrum monitoring and long-term strategies for spectrum utilisation.

Study Group 3: Radiowave Propagation

Propagation of radio waves in ionized and non-ionized media and the characteristics of radio noise, for the purpose of improving radiocommunications systems.

Study Group 4: Fixed Satellite Service

Systems and networks for the fixed-satellite service and inter-satellite links in the fixed-satellite service, included associated tracking, telemetry and telecommand functions.

Study Group 5: Terrestrial Services

Systems and networks for fixed, mobile, radiodetermination, amateur and amateur-satellite services.

Study Group 6: Broadcasting (Sound and Television)

International exchange of programs and systems of the broadcasting and broadcasting-satellite services, including audio and video frequency and recording equipment, as well as the overall performance of the means of delivering signals to the general public, where they are used for sound, television, data and associated ancillary services.

Study Group 7: Science Services 

Systems for space operation, space research, earth exploration and meteorology, including the related use of links in the inter-satellite services. Radio astronomy and radar astronomy. Dissemination, reception and co-ordination of standard-frequency and time-signal services, including the application of satellite techniques, on a world-wide basis.

Subgroups, such as Working Parties (WP) and Task Groups (TG) are established to study the Questions assigned to the different Study Groups. This structure allows smaller entities to select the areas of competence to which they wish to contribute.