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IARU E-LETTER
IARU Electronic Newsletter
January, 2011
In this Issue:
The ITU - International Telecommunication Union
______________________________________________________________________________
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.
In one of the ITU buildings, there is a permanent amateur radio station,
4U1ITU. 4U1ITU is the club station of the International Amateur Radio Club.
In an upcoming IARU E-Letter, I will describe the organization of IARU and how
it works within the ITU and the regional telecommunication organizations like
CEPT, CITEL and APT to ensure amateur radio's continued place in the radio
spectrum landscape.
73, Rod W6ROD
______________________________________________________
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(International Amateur Radio Union news)” – that’s all there is to it!
An archive of earlier issues is available at http://www.iaru.org/e-letter/.
___________________________________________________
If you have any information that would be appropriate to publish in this
electronic newsletter, please contact me at w6...@iaru.org.
Rod Stafford W6ROD
IARU Secretary
___________________________________________________________________________
The IARU E-Letter is published on behalf of the Administrative Council of the
International Amateur Radio Union by the IARU International Secretariat.
Editor: Rod Stafford, W6ROD, IARU Secretary.
Material from The IARU E-Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or in
part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given to The
IARU E-Letter and The International Amateur Radio Union.
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