The Overseas Telecommunications Commission (Australia) was established under the Overseas Telecommunications Act 1946 which was proclaimed to commence on 12 August 1946. (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No.147 of 9 August 1946, p.2171) The Commission is a member of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization, the purpose of which is to promote the efficient exploitation and development of the Commonwealth external telecommunications. The functions of the Commission are to do all necessary things in connection with:
(a) the establishment, maintenance and operation in Australia by the
  Commission of cable and radiotelegraph services for the conduct of
  public communications between -
 (i) Australia and other countries,
 (ii) Australia and ships at sea,
 (iii) Australia and commercial or private aircraft (except aircraft
       operating exclusively within Australia),
 (iv) the Commonwealth and any territory under the authority of the
      Commonwealth (not being part of the Commonwealth), and
 (v) any territories under the authority of the Commonwealth (not
     being part of the Commonwealth);
(b) the establishment and maintenance in Australia by the Commission
    of radio transmitting and receiving apparatus to permit of the
    conduct of overseas telephone services in respect of public
    communications;
(c) the establishment, maintenance and operation in Australia by the
    Commission of any other radiocommunication services in respect of
    which a licence is granted in pursuance of the Wireless
    Telegraphy Act 1905-1936;
(d) all further developments of cable or radio transmission or
    reception for overseas telecommunication purposes in Australia
    as related to public communications, including the establishment,
    maintenance and operation of overseas facsimile services;
(e) the conduct of investigations and researches with the object of
    improving the efficiency of the overseas telecommunications
    services generally; and
(f) the maintenance of overseas telecommunication assets in Australia
    and in regional areas adjacent to Australia which are owned by a
    national body established by any of the partner governments.

The Commissioners appointed on 23 August 1946 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. 164 of 30 August 1946, p.2397) were: 
James Malone (Chairman), Lawrence Bede Fanning, I.S.O., Stuart Gordon McFarlane, C.M.G., M.B.E., Giles Tatlock Chippindale, John Vincent William Barry, K.C.
At the time of the passing of the Overseas Telecommunications Act the external radio services handling public correspondence to and from Australia were all operated by Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Limited. The transfer of these services to the Commission was effected on 1 October 1946.
The services which the Commission took over on 1 October 1946 comprised: 
(a) The Beam Wireless Service
(b) The Overseas Radio Telephone Services
(c) The Coastal Radio Service
(d) The Picturegram Service
(e) Radio telegraph and telephone services to the Territories of the
    Commonwealth
(f) Radio telegraph services between land stations and aircraft
    operating outside Australia.
For a general outline of history of external radio services see Official Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia, No.37, 1946 and 1947, p. 220-224.

Australia became a member of the International Satellite Organization (INTELSAT) in August 1964. This organization of a partnership of nations is concerned with establishing a global communications satellite system. The Commission owns and operates the satellite earth stations in Australia. The Interim Agreements under which INTELSAT operated in the period since 1964 were superseded in February 1973 by permanent arrangements.
 
Overseas Telecommunications Commission (Australia) was abolished on 1 February 1992 following its merger with Australian Telecommunications Commission (Telecom Australia) (CA 2067) with functions going to the newly created Australian and Overseas Telecommunications Corporation (AOTC) (CA 7643).
Historical agency address
  1946-c 1956: 47 York Street, Sydney 
c 1967-c 1966: 12 Spring Street, Sydney 
c 1967-?     : 32-36 Martin Place, Sydney
Legislation administered
Commonwealth of Australia Act No. 23 of 1946, Overseas Telecommunications Act 1946.

Previous agency unregistered

External radio services operated by Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Limited