International Telecommunications Satellite Organization - INTELSAT | Testbook.com

The Inception of INTELSAT

• The International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (INTELSAT) originated from the International Telecommunications Consortium, established in 1964 by the telecommunications agencies of various nations.
• This Consortium, being the first global system of its kind, was accessible to all members of the ITU, with its management based in the US Communication Satellite Corporation (COMSAT).
• As the membership grew, there was a consensus to create a formal organisation. Consequently, Intelsat was formed by two international agreements concluded at Washington in August 1971, which became effective in February 1973. These agreements established the Organisation and were signed by the participating states.
• Currently, over 140 countries are full members, while another 45 are non-signatory users.
• By the 1990s, the construction and launching of satellites were no longer solely a government task. As country-specific telecommunications systems were privatized, several private satellite operators emerged to cater to the increasing demand.
• In the U.S., satellite operators such as PanAmSat, Orion Communications, Columbia Communications, Iridium, Globalstar, TRW, and others consolidated under the Alliance for Competitive International Satellite Services (ACISS) to advocate for the abolition of the IGOs and the monopoly position of COMSAT, the US signatory to Intelsat and Inmarsat.
• In March 2001, the US Congress passed the Open Market Reorganization for the Betterment of International Telecommunications (ORBIT) Act to privatize COMSAT and reform the role of the international organizations.
• In April 1998, to address US government concerns about market power, Intelsat’s senior management spun off five of its older satellites to a private Dutch entity, New Skies Satellites, which became a direct competitor to Intelsat. To avoid US government interference with Intelsat, the senior management of Intelsat considered but failed to relocate the IGO to another country.

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Aims and Objectives of INTELSAT

The primary goal of INTELSAT is to "Ensure the performance of Core Principles for the provision of international public telecommunications services, with high reliability and quality. Promote international public telecommunications services to meet the needs of the information and communication society.”

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Structure of INTELSAT

• INTELSAT comprises the Assembly of Parties, Meeting of Signatories, Board of Governors, and an Executive Organ.
• The Assembly of Parties is primarily concerned with aspects of INTELSAT that are of interest to the parties as sovereign states.
• The Assembly, which meets biennially, formulates policy and long-term objectives.
• The Meeting of Signatories is primarily concerned with financial, technical, and operational matters, and includes other parties who are signatories to the Agreements.
• The Board of Governors, comprising 27 members, provides management policy direction. The Governors are appointed based on contribution, which should not be less than a specified investment share, as well as regional considerations.

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