We encounter ITU's international technical standards every day without knowing it. A hidden part of the information and communication technology (ICT) networks and devices we all use every day, ITU standards are rarely perceived by users but vital in enabling the interconnection, interoperability and compatibility of ICT solutions offered by hundreds of thousands of different companies around the world.
ITU standards help create global markets, enabling economies of scale in production and deployment that translate into benefits for companies and users in both cost and functionality.Standards support innovation on a global scale, as cost-effectively as possible. They stimulate global access to technological capabilities in service of closing digital divides. Capturing innovation to create a basis for continued iterative innovation, standards provide essential technical foundations for new industries to grow and established industries to keep moving forward.
Ultimately, standards create the confidence to continue investing in our digital future.
An estimated 95% of international data traffic runs over fibre-optic networks built to ITU standards. Video accounts for over 80% of Internet traffic, enabled by Primetime Emmy-winning video-compression algorithms standardized jointly by ITU, ISO and IEC.
Standards have helped promote interconnection, interoperability, and compatibility, and the ICT sector relies heavily on standards to an extent rivalled by few other industry sectors. Today, many other sectors are now integrating and innovating with ICTs, meaning ITU standards have to meet the needs of a diverse and expanding range of industries.
ITU standards support digital transformation in areas from energy and transportation to healthcare, financial services, and agriculture, as well as for the drive towards smart cities and communities. ITU standards are also helping the industry and government capitalize on AI and machine learning.
Standards help technologies to work together. They help make them safer, more accessible, more affordable, and more sustainable. To achieve their full potential, standards need to be the result of a process that is inclusive and transparent - ITU offers this assurance. The ITU standardization process ensures that all participants' voices are heard through consensus decision.
