Introducing the ITU

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Introducing the ITU
Michel R. Giroux
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The ITU in brief

• UN specialized agency, concerned with the
  development of telecommunication networks and
  services worldwide
• 139 years old
• 189 Member States, 650 Sector Members
• 750 staff / 71 nationalities
• Website http//www.itu.int

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ITU Founded on 17 May 1865
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Global Harmonization
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Technological Convergence
Broadcasting
Telecom
Computing
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ITU 2004-2007 Strategic PlanGoals and Priorities

• Goal 1 Maintain and extend international
  cooperation among all Member States and with
  appropriate regional organizations for the
  improvement and rational use of
  telecommunications of all kinds, taking the
  leading role in United Nations system initiatives
  on information and communication technologies
  (ICT).

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ITU 2004-2007 Strategic PlanGoals and Priorities

• Goal 2 Assist in bridging the international
  digital divide in information and communication
  technologies (ICT), by facilitating development
  of fully interconnected and interoperable
  networks and services to promote global
  connectivity and by taking a leading role in the
  preparations for, and taking due account of the
  relevant results of, the World Summit on the
  Information Society (WSIS).

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ITU 2004-2007 Strategic PlanGoals and Priorities

• Goal 3 Widen the Unions membership, extend and
  facilitate cooperative participation of an
  increasing number of administrations and
  organizations.

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ITU 2004-2007 Strategic PlanGoals and Priorities

• Goal 4 Develop tools, based on contributions
  from the membership, to safeguard the integrity
  and interoperability of networks.
• Goal 5 Continue to improve the efficiency and
  effectiveness of ITUs structures and services
  and their relevance to the membership.

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ITU 2004-2007 Strategic PlanGoals and Priorities

• Goal 6 Disseminate information and know-how to
  provide the membership, particularly developing
  countries, with capabilities to respond to the
  challenges of privatization, competition,
  globalization and technological change.

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ITU-R Priorities

• Three categories A, B and C
• Linked to the ITU Goals

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Who pays?

• The ITU has 189 Member States plus 650 Sector
  Members (e.g., private firms)
• Each chooses to pay a certain number (or
  proportion of) contributory units
• For Member States, 1 unit315 000 SFr
• For Sector Members, 1 unit63 000 SFr
• For Associates, 1 unit10 500 SFr
• Main budget (2 years) 328.8 MSFR, down from
  332.6 MSFr

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Structure of ITU(Decision Making)

• Plenipotentiary Conference
• Council
• World Radiocommunication Conferences/RRC
• Radiocommunication Assemblies and Study Groups
• Telecommunication Standardization Assembly
• Development Conference

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Plenipotentiary Conference
ITU Council
coordination
authority and responsibility
Coordination Committee SG, DSG, Directors
Secretary General Deputy Secretary General
advisory
World Telecommunication Advisory Council
General Secretariat (Secretary General) (Deputy
SG)
Telecommunication Development Sector (Director)
Telecommunication Standardization Sector (Director
)
Radiocommunication Sector (Director)
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PLENIPOTENTIARY CONFERENCES

• all membership
• meet in principle every four years
• adopt fundamental long-term policies
• decide on organization and activities in a
  Treaty
• Constitution (basic provisions such as purpose,
  structure, functions)
• Convention (provisions more prone to change
  working methods, procedures, financial matters,
  etc)

...
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PLENIPOTENTIARY CONFERENCES

• determine budget limits for the next four years
  within which Council approves bi-annual budgets
• fill elective posts, including RRB and Council
• last conference Marrakech, Morocco (2002)

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ITU COUNCIL

• 46 Members
• meets annually
• 5 regions
• A Americas (8 seats)
• B Western Europe (8 seats)
• C Eastern Europe (5 seats)
• D Africa (13 seats)
• E Asia and Australasia (12 seats)

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ITU COUNCIL

• considers broad telecommunication issues to keep
  policies and strategies in line with the
  evolution in telecommunication
• ensures the coordination of the work of the Union
• exercises financial control
• adopts the bi-annual budget

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ITU Radiocommunication Sector(ITU-R)

• Developed in next presentation

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Standardization (ITU-T)

• World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly
  (WTSA )
• Study Groups
• Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group
• Bureau (TSB) (Director H. Zhao, China)

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Standardization (ITU-T)

• technical matters
• operational questions
• tariff questions
• prepare ITU-T Recommendations (gt2500)
  (formerly CCITT)

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Development (ITU-D)

• World Development Conference
  (Istanbul Action Plan 2003-2006)
• Regional Development Conference
• Study Groups
• Telecommunication Indicators reports
• Technical cooperation

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Development (ITU-D)

• Regional Field Offices
• Bureau (BDT)
  (Director Hamadoun Touré, Mali)

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General Secretariat

• Plenipotentiary Conferences
• Kyoto, 1994 Minneapolis, 1998 Marrakech, 2002
• World Telecommunication Policy Forum
• ITU Council
• ITU News
• Support services (e.g. Strategic planning,
  Finance, Personnel, IS, Common services,
  Conferences)
• ITU TELECOM

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General Secretariat

• Secretary-General (Y. Utsumi) Deputy
  Secretary-General (R. Blois)
• Strategic Planning External affairs
• Conferences
• Finance
• Personnel
• Information Services
• Common Services
• Telecom

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Introducing the ITU
Questions ?