International standards for telecommunications

Abstract

As soon as telegraph and telephone services extended beyond local or national boundaries the need for coordination became imperative. It is not surprising that the International Telecommunications Union, the forum for world-wide cooperation, is the oldest of the inter-governmental agencies which now form the specialized agencies of the United Nations. Through the various levels at which it operates, from the plenipotentiary conference to the study groups and working parties of the consultative committees, the I.T.U. exercises a profound influence on the development and evolution of all branches of telecommunications. Increasingly, the distinction between international and national services is diminishing and all services are coming under the direct control of individual customers and often of their machines. Intervention by specially trained operators has to be exceptional. Simplification and standardization of terminals and procedure is essential. Other factors are operating outside the formal arena of the I.T.U. and influence the progress of standards. Manufacturing industry that looks to world markets is concerned that the purchasing specifications that define its markets should have basic compatibility; this concern is complemented by the purchasing authorities in countries without indigenous industry and who have to buy on world markets. Regional standardization may proceed faster and more deeply than world-wide standardization; this is evident in Europe where the Conference of European Telecommunications Administrations provides a natural forum and has undertaken a programme of ‘harmonization’ activity in cooperation with the Commission of the European Economic Community. Maintaining coherence between regional and world standardization will be an intricate but necessary task for the participants.