ITU - Cybersecurity Gateway - ITU Radiocommunication

ITU RADIOCOMMUNICATION

Radio spectrum global frequency management is increasingly important for building confidence and security and creating an enabling environment in the use of ICTs. Wireless applications, such as 3G, are becoming an integral part of daily life, and the global use and management of frequencies require a high level of international cooperation.

ITU’s Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) mission is to ensure, rational, equitable, efficient and economical use of the radio-frequency spectrum by all radiocommunication services, including those using satellite orbits, and to carry out studies and adopt Recommendations on radiocommunication matters. It plays a pivotal role in facilitating complex intergovernmental negotiations needed to develop legal binding agreements between sovereign states in an increasingly ‘unwired’ world.

International radiocommunication provisions are embodied in the ITU Radio Regulations (treaty status) that incorporates the decisions of the World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs) and in world and regional plans adopted for different space and terrestrial services. ITU Radio Regulations agreements apply to frequencies ranging from 9 kHz to 400 GHz and include information on how radio frequency is shared around the globe.

WRCs are held every 3 to 4 years to update the international treaty governing the use of the radio-frequency spectrum (where some 40 different radio services compete for allocations for spectrum) and the geostationary-satellite and non-geostationary-satellite orbits.

ITU-R specializes in developing radio standards, including spectrum identification and harmonization applicable to national, regional and international broadband network infrastructure including the capacity to countries and their citizens for new ICT-based services through satellite systems. ITU-R ensures interference-free operations of radiocommunication systems and facilitates any new developments and the continuation of satellite services in a safe way.

Safeguarding quality of service against degradation or denial of service is vital for the secure functioning of networks in data transmission and service provision and many of the Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R)’s latest Recommendations on generic requirements and the protection of radiocommunications against interference are relevant for security.

ITU’s work in radiocommunication standardization continues, matching the constant evolution in modern telecommunication networks. ITU established clear security principles for IMT-2000 (3G) networks (Recommendation ITU-R M.1078 and Recommendations M.1223, M.1457, M.1645 are also relevant). ITU recommended early on that the security provided by mobile broadband IMT-2000 (3G) networks should be comparable to contemporary fixed networks.

ITU has also issued recommendations on security issues in network management architecture for digital satellite systems (Recommendation ITU-R S.1250) and performance enhancements of transmission control protocol over satellite networks (Recommendation ITU-R S.1711).