The Future of the Itu and its Standard-Setting Functions in Spectrum Management

Abstract:     
One of the most important standard-setting organizations in the world is the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), an arm of the United Nations based in Geneva, Switzerland. This chapter will discuss the role of and process for standardization in the ITU with respect to spectrum and satellite management - two aspects that will become increasingly important for the Future Generation of Information and Communications Technology. In particular, we will focus on the ITU-R, the ITU organization that deals with radio and spectrum management. We will consider the role of the ITU in broader terms through its increasingly prominent role in the standardization of spectrum management matters related to satellites. In conclusion, we will see the ITU's role in spectrum management has been quite effective with regards to satellite and space law. However, we will also see that ITU's future ability to be effective in this area will depend on: (1) the organization's willingness to distance itself from the centralized planning notions that arise from its command-and-control approach to spectrum allocation and allotment and (2) an ensuing increased commitment by the United States to the ITU's processes.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 24

Keywords: ITU, spectrum satellites, spectrum management

JEL Classification: K10

Accepted Paper Series