The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) was established to standardize and regulate international radio and telecommunications.

• It was founded as the International Telegraph Union in Paris on 17 May 1865.
• Its main tasks include standardization, allocation of the radio spectrum, and organizing interconnection arrangements between different countries to allow international phone calls — in which regard it performs for telecommunications a similar function to what the UPU performs for postal services.
• It has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.