International Telegraph Union

International Telegraph Union
05/17/1865 AD founded

Between 1 March and 17 May 1865, the French Government hosted delegations from 20 European states at the first International Telegraph Conference in Paris. This meeting culminated in the International Telegraph Convention which was signed on 17 May 1865.

By 1865, it was agreed that a comprehensive agreement was needed in order to create a framework that would standardize telegraphy equipment, set uniform operating instructions, and lay down common international tariff and accounting rules.

As a result of the 1865 Conference, the International Telegraph Union, the predecessor to the modern ITU, was founded as the first international standards organization. The Union was tasked with implementing basic principles for international telegraphy. This included: the use of the Morse code as the international telegraph alphabet, the protection of the secrecy of correspondence, and the right of everybody to use the international telegraphy.

See also

• ITU, The 1865 International Telegraph Conference
• ITU, Participants in the International Telegraph Conference (Paris, 1865)

Paris

Lattitude: 48.8566° N
Longitude: 2.3522° E
Region: Europe

Modern Day France

Events in 1865 MORE