The history of the ITU, with particular attention to the CCITT and the CCIR, and the latter's relations with URSI

This paper is designed to provide members of URSI with background information about the International Telecommunication Union and its two international consultative committees (CCIs): the International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) and the International Telephone and Telegraph Consultative Committee (CCITT). Toward this end the history of the present ITU and its predecessor organizations, the International Telegraph Union and the Radio Telegraph Union, is reviewed. The history, structure, and schedule of the CCIs are then treated. Finally, it is suggested that, in the future, contacts between URSI and the CCIR will be both richer and of increasing importance.