The ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) is one of the three sectors (divisions or units) of the
International Telecommunication Union
The International Telecommunication Union is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for many matters related to information and communication technologies. It was established on 17 May 1865 as the International Telegraph Unio ...
(ITU) and is responsible for
radio
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transm ...
communications.
Its role is to manage the international
radio-frequency spectrum and
satellite orbit
In celestial mechanics, an orbit is the curved trajectory of an object such as the trajectory of a planet around a star, or of a natural satellite around a planet, or of an artificial satellite around an object or position in space such as a p ...
resources and to develop standards for
radiocommunication
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...
systems with the objective of ensuring the effective use of the
spectrum
A spectrum (plural ''spectra'' or ''spectrums'') is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary, without gaps, across a continuum. The word was first used scientifically in optics to describe the rainbow of color ...
.
is required, according to its constitution, to allocate spectrum and register
frequency allocation
Frequency allocation (or spectrum allocation or spectrum management) is the allocation and regulation of the electromagnetic spectrum
The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of frequencies (the spectrum) of electromagnetic radiation and t ...
,
orbital positions and other parameters of
satellites
A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioisotop ...
, “in order to avoid harmful interference between radio stations of different countries”. The international
spectrum management
Spectrum management is the process of regulating the use of radio frequencies to promote efficient use and gain a net social benefit.Martin Cave, Chris Doyle, William Webb, ''Modern Spectrum Management'', Cambridge University Press, 2007 The ter ...
system is therefore based on regulatory procedures for
frequency coordination, notification and registration.
ITU-R has a permanent secretariat, the Radiocommunication Bureau, based at the ITU HQ in
Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situ ...
,
Switzerland. The electe
Director of the Bureauis Mr. Mario Maniewicz; he was first elected by the ITU membership to the directorship in 2018.
History
The CCIR—Comité consultatif international pour la radio, Consultative Committee on International Radio or International Radio Consultative Committee—was founded in 1927.
In 1932 the CCIR and several other organizations (including the original
ITU, which had been founded as the International Telegraph Union in 1865) merged to form what would in 1934 become known as the International Telecommunication Union. In 1992, the CCIR became the ITU-R.
See also
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ITU-T
The ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) is one of the three sectors (divisions or units) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). It is responsible for coordinating standards for telecommunications and Information Commu ...
*
ITU-R Recommendations
*
Rec. 601
ITU-R Recommendation BT.601, more commonly known by the abbreviations Rec. 601 or BT.601 (or its former name CCIR 601) is a standard originally issued in 1982 by the CCIR (an organization, which has since been renamed as the Internatio ...
*
Rec. 709
*
Global Standards Collaboration The Global Standards Collaboration (GSC) started life as The "Inter-regional Telecommunications Standards conference (ITSC) in 1990. This was an initiative of the T1 Committee of the United States who invited the other founding partner organization ...
*
Radio science#ITU-R
References
External links
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{{Authority control
International Telecommunication Union
Radio organizations