According to the introduction to this sector on the ITU's website:

"The ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) is one of the three Sectors of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which was founded in 1865. ITU-T was established on 1 March 1993 within the framework of the 'new' ITU, replacing the former International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT)."

As noted on the ITU's website:

"The ITU-T mission is to ensure an efficient and on-time production of high quality standards (Recommendations) covering all fields of telecommunications except radio aspects...

"Standardization work is carried out by 13 Study Groups, in which representatives of the ITU-T membership develop Recommendations for the various fields of international telecommunications. The priority fields of study include:

• IP interworking and related matters
• Network aspects of mobility
• Network access technologies (xDSL)
• Optical networking technologies
• Tariff and accounting issues
• Multimedia services and systems

"...ITU-T standardization activities are conducted in cooperation with many other standards development organizations (SDOs). ITU-T also conducts seminars and workshops within its domains of competence."