The ITU also develops standards to facilitate the interconnection of telecommunication systems on a world-wide basis. This work is done by the Standardisation Sector.

A third purpose of the ITU is served by its Development Sector which exists to promote and offer technical assistance to developing countries, to promote the mobilisation of the human and financial resources needed to develop telecommunications, and to promote the extension of the benefits of new telecommunications technologies.

Of interest to spectrum managers and interference analysts are the activities the Radiocommunications Sector.

The role of the Radiocommunication Sector is to ensure the "rational, equitable, efficient and economical use of the radio-frequency spectrum by all radiocommunications services".

To fulfil this role, the ITU must undertake a large amount of technical work, research and analysis. Technical subjects studied include.

• Spectrum utilisation and monitoring
• Inter-service sharing
• Science services
• Radio wave propagation
• Fixed-Satellite service
• Fixed service
• Mobile services
• Sound broadcasting
• Television broadcasting

The work of the Radiocommunications Sector is progressed at Radio Conferences and Radiocommunications Assemblies. These decision-making bodies are supported by technical inputs from the Study Groups. The Radio Advisory Group provides strategic advice.

Study Groups work continuously and are further support by Working Parties and by joint working groups and parties.

A major activity of every Study Group is analysis of potential interference levels between two systems that must share spectrum. For example Study Groups 8 and 9 are both concerned with sharing between the mobile satellite service and fixed service in the 1-3 GHz band. SG 9 considers how MSS systems might affect the Fixed Services that they have to share with, while SG 9 considers the same scenario from the MSS point of view. A Joint Rapporteurs Group 8D-9D was formed taking members from both Study Groups to develop a Standard Computation Program, defining how potential interference should be assessed. In this and many other cases, the analysis is complex enough to require software simulation of the systems involved, and many input papers are produced using Visualyse.

To see a summary of the work Joint Rapporteurs Group 8D-9D and a description of how Visualyse meets the requirements of an analysis tool for this important sharing problem, click here.

Transfinite Systems are involved in other Study Group activities, providing consultancy services and support to a members of the Groups. To see how Transfinite can help you in preparing for Study Groups click here.

To see how Visualyse can assist in analysing the issues raised for the WRC 2003 in the various agenda items and Resolutions agreed at WRC 2000, click here.