/*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_ http://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
http://www.itu.int/pub/R-REG-RR/en, 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
http://www.itu.int/council/index.html, 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
http://www.itu.int/aboutitu/basic-texts/index.html, 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
http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/go/rrb/enand the Radiocommunication Bureau
http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/go/br/en, and review their activities;

4. determine Questions http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/go/questions/enfor
study by the Radiocommunication Assembly
http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/go/ra/enand its Study Groups
http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/go/rsg/enin 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

__________________________________________________ ____

*How to Subscribe to This E-Letter*

You can send an email to
requesting that you be added to the
distribution list. Or, you may be able to receive it via your own IARU
member-society, either in English or translated into your own language.

If you are an ARRL member you can subscribe to this E-Letter directly on
the ARRL web site. Log in as a member, then go to "Edit your Profile"
and then to "Edit your Email Subscriptions." Check the box next to "The
IARU E-Letter (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
.

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.


To unsubscribe from messages, go to:
http://p1k.arrl.org/oo/61784502649b846c35ac63bc59b30a39