International Regulation.

3.

a. Since electromagnetic waves have no respect for geopolitical

boundaries, the international understanding and cooperation on

allocation and use of the radio frequency spectrum is needed.

National plans must be tailored to conform to the international

pattern.

b. The necessity for international agreements on spectrum

allocation can best be illustrated by some examples.

Pilots of

aircraft on international flights, for example, must be able to

communicate at all times with at least one check point along each

route.

Thus, for safety's sake, flight control and navigation

equipment

for

aircraft

must

be

compatible

with

any

other

communications-electronics equipment that may be encountered during a

flight.

Even if not strictly required, it is often advantageous to

have a high degree of international standardization.

For example,

communications-electronics equipment developed by the United States

military should be usable by troops deployed worldwide.

It is

obviously impractical to develop equipment that must be left on the

shelf during actual combat.

Even during wartime, unrestricted

spectrum utilization cannot be allowed since various countries have

allies with whom they must cooperate. The need for compatibility and

interoperability

of

communications-electronics

equipment

is

particularly vital in allied joint commands such as North Atlantic

Treaty Organization.

Additionally, during wartime certain civil

safety services will be as important, if not more so, than during

peacetime and will require continued protection.

4.

The International Telecommunications Union.

a. International allocations of the radio frequency spectrum and

registration of frequency assignments are accomplished by the

International Telecommunications Union.

Created in 1865 with 20

member nations, the International Telecommunications Union is now a

specialized agency of the United Nations and has membership of about

150 countries.

The major material outputs of the International

Telecommunications Union are international radio regulations which

govern

international

telecommunications.

The

International

Telecommunications Union radio regulations, when ratified by member

nations, have treaty status.

International Telecommunications Union

headquarters

are

in

Geneva,

Switzerland,

where

a

permanent

secretariat is supported by member nations.

b. The International Telecommunications Union is composed of four

permanent

groups:

the

General

Secretariat,

the

International

Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee, the International

Radio Consultative Committee, and the International Frequency

Registration

Board.

The

International

Radio

Consultative

Committee

and

International

Frequency

Registration

Board,

8