The International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO) is an intergovernmental organisation charged with overseeing the public service obligations of Intelsat.
The creation of ITSO, previously known by the acronym "INTELSAT", resulted from the efforts of a group of nations to join the United States in 1964 to establish a global communications satellite system. The International Telecommunications Satellite Organization is an intergovernmental organization that incorporates the UNO principle which establishes that communication by means of satellites should be available to the nations of the world as soon aspracticable on a global and non-discriminatory basis.
ITSO underwent an important restructuring in 2001 in a market with increasing competition, fast-paced innovations and rising capital costs. The Assembly of Parties, in 2000, approved the way to create a commercial and pro-competitive company named "Intelsat, Ltd." to operate the satellite system. For this purpose, ITSO transferred its global satellite system, including the geostationary-orbital locations, "landing rights" and the brand-name of "Intelsat," to Intelsat Ltd.