David Withers

The International Telecommunication Union

This chapter discusses the ITU. The five international bodies were meeting separately from time to time to deal with international telecommunications problems, technical, operational, commercial and administrative. Rationalisation was seen to be desirable and in 1932 a rather loose federation of the five organisations was created. The new body was called the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Codding provides a more detailed account of the ITU and its predecessors.

The broadcasting-satellite service

The terrestrial broadcasting service, by definition, consists of transmissions that are intended for reception by members of the general public. The definition of the BSS is broader, embracing individual reception, often called direct broadcasting by satellite (DBS), but also community reception. It is assumed that individual reception will involve simple receiving installations with small antennas, requiring a strong signal from the satellite and very effective protection from interference. Community reception, serving the public typically through cable distribution systems, is assumed to involve more complex receiving installations with larger anten nas which do not need such powerful signals.

The broadcasting service

The broadcasting service comprises transmissions that are intended to be received directly by the general public. It does not include radio links that are used to deliver sound or vision programme signals to the broadcasting transmitter; these are typically part of the FS. On the other hand it does not exclude radio transmissions that, in addition to direct reception by the public, are received for onward local distribution, for example by cable.