The ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) is a sector within the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) which coordinates with all entities involved with creating standards in the telecommunications industry. This work of the ITU can be traced back to 1865, together with the birth of the International Telegraph Union. It was originally known as the International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT, from French: Comité Consultatif International Téléphonique et Télégraphique). It then became a specialized agency under the United Nations in 1947, and was renamed to its present name, ITU-T, in 1993.


The ITU is intergovernmental in nature and has been characterized by public-private partnerships since its creation. It currently has 191 member states and more than 700 private-public members including companies, national and international communication entities and other experts in the field. These experts are known as Sector Members and Associates, and they are the ones who are tasked with producing international standards under ITU-T’s supervision. The results of this collaboration are known as ITU-T Recommendations, which stand as the pillars which define global information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure.
The main function of the ITU-T is to ensure that new standards covering the entire field of worldwide telecommunication are efficiently produced in a timely manner. It also defines tariffs and accounting principles that govern international telecommunication services.