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ITU: Empowering global ICT development Malcolm Johnson, Director ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau. ITU at the heart of international Geneva. South African Telecommunications Networks and Applications Conference 8 September 2008. This is the world thanks to ITU. Outline.
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ITU: Empowering global ICT development Malcolm Johnson, Director ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau ITU at the heart of international Geneva South African Telecommunications Networks and Applications Conference 8 September 2008
Outline • ITU Characteristics • Structure • Work highlights • Cooperation with other bodies • Academia and research institutes • World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly • Global Standardisation Symposium
Introduction to ITU • World’s oldest international organisation • Founded in 1865 to ensure interoperability of international telecommunications • Recognised as one of the world’s ten most enduring institutions: defined as “institutions that have changed and grown in unswerving success and relevance — yet remained true through time to their founding principles” • Unique international public/private partnership of 191 governments and over 700 private sector entities • HQ Geneva, 11 regional offices, 760 staff, over 80 nationalities • ITU Mission is to connect the world • Connect Africa Summit, Rwanda, October 2007 committed $50 billion to projects in Africa
ITU Structure • General Secretariat:Coordinates activities and manages the administrative and financial aspects of the Union’s activities • Radio Sector:Coordinates radiocommunications, radio-frequency spectrum management and wireless services: Custodian of Radio Regulations – international treaty on use of the radio spectrum and geostationary satellite orbit. Updated every 4 years. • Development Sector:Technical assistance for deployment of telecom networks, regulations and services in developing and least developed countries to develop national telecommunication/ICT services • Telecommunication Standards Sector (ITU-T): Adopts global standards (ITU-T Recommendations) covering all fields of telecommunications/ICTs. Custodian of international telecommunications numbering schemes. Reviewing the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs) – international treaty on telecommunications operations.
ITU-T Characteristics • Contribution driven – membership initiates, develops and agrees output • Standards (over 3000) produced in “Study Groups” • Initial development in “Focus Groups” open to non-members • Meetings, Workshops and Tutorials held around the world • One of only three truly international standards bodies • Consensus based (but voting possible) • Very flexible, fast and transparent procedures • start work: 1 day / few weeks • develop work: weeks to 2-3 yrs • approve work: average 9 weeks • publish work: couple of days after approval • Common IPR Policy with ISO and IEC
Top Participants = 79% of total admin attendance 76% 69% 49% Sector Members Associates Number of visits * Consolidated for various memberships
ITU-T hot topics • World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) follow up • Next generation network (NGN) • IPTV • Cybersecurity including identity management (IdM) • Ubiquitous networks • Next generation multimedia conferencing • Videocoding • Broadband access • Packet based transport • Fibre optics • Home networking • ICTs and climate change • Accessibility to ICTs for persons with disabilities
Some Historical Standards • 2005: VDSL2 • 2004: Gigabit passive optical network (GPON) • 2002: H.264/MPEG-4/AVC video codec • 2000: X.509 for public key infrastructure (PKI) • 1999: Standards for cable modems • 1998: V.90 internet modem standard • 1998: SDH – key standard for digital information • 1996: H.323 for VoIP and videoconferencing • 1993: First DSL standards for broadband • 1988: Key audio coding standards (G.711 and G.72x) • 1988: 1981: Signaling system seven (SS7) standards • 1976: First packet switching standard (X.25) • 1968: First standards for fax transmission
ITU’s Emmyawarded 23 August 2008 for ITU-T H.264/MPEG4 High Profile
Highlights of current activities • Climate Change • Power saving checklist for standards development • Symposia on ICTs and Climate Change, Kyoto, London. • Focus Group to determine impact of ICTs • IGF Dynamic Coalition on climate change • Accessibility for disabled people • Checklist for standards development • Workshops • IGF Dynamic Coalition on Accessibility and Disability • Emergency Telecoms • Language independent prefix for emergency numbers • Universal Child helpline • Cybersecurity • Security standards roadmap available of ITU website • Guidelines on spyware; toolbox of technical measures to counter spam. • Identity management: entity authentication , requirements • Bridging the standardization gap
Bridging the standardization gap Objective • End disparities in the ability of representatives of developing countries, relative to representatives of developed countries, to access, implement, contribute to and influence international ICT standards, specifically ITU Recommendations • Status • Much has been done to improve access: • Free access to ITU-T Recommendations • Regional Forums • Regional Groups • Remote collaboration tools • Meetings in the regions • Workshops and Tutorials • Expected Results • Developing countries requirements taken into account • Quicker implementation of new technology in developing countries
Free ITU-T Recommendations • From the beginning of 2007, ITU-T Recommendations are available for downloading free of charge • With only a small number of exceptions all in-force ITU-T Recommendations are available in PDF form with a click of the mouse • Over 3 million copies downloaded in last 12 months • www.itu.int/ITU-T/publications/recs.html
September 2008 workshops • IPv6: Geneva, 4-5 September • From Speech to audio: bandwidth extension, binaural perception: Lannion,10-12 September • ITU Regional Development Forum 2008: Bridging the ICT standardization gap in developing countries for the Asia-Pacific Region: Hanoi, 15-17 September • Advancing public-private partnerships for e-business standards: Geneva, 18-19 September • WSC - Standardization Community Management Course: Geneva 22-26 September
ITU and Academia:Kaleidoscope Events • To increase dialogue between academia and ITU • Aim to identify new topics for standardization • Organized with IEEE ComSoc as Technical Co-Sponsor and supported by Cisco, Intel, the International Communications Foundation of Japan and Sun Microsystems • Innovations in NGN, Geneva, 12-13 May 2008: • 220 participants • Over 140 papers peer reviewed: 53 papers were presented • The best three were awarded prizes totaling $10,000 kindly donated by Cisco. • Included in special edition of the IEEE Communications Magazine • 16 entrants received a Young Author Recognition Certificate • SATNAC winner one of best papers: Rolen Christian
Kaleidoscope 2009 • Innovations for Digital Inclusion • Argentina, 31 August - 1 September 2009 • Prize fund for best papers contributed by Cisco • Proceedings published in IEEE Communications magazine • Call for papers now available on ITU website
Technology Watch • Technology Watch surveys the ICT environment for new study topics – opportunity for academia and research institutes to contribute • Technology Watch Briefing Reports provide an up-to-date assessment of promising new technologies • Recent papers available on ITU website: • Remote collaboration tools • Ubiquitous Sensor Networks • ICTs and Climate Change • Telepresence • High-performance video-conferencing • Intelligent Transport Systems • Lawful interception (LI) • Under study: ICTs and food security
Strong NGN Focus • Provide global leadership through providing overall framework and structure • Bring the benefits of NGN to the attention of the developing countries • Provide advice and assistance in developing the necessary human capacity requirement to take advantage of the opportunities that are on the horizon • Influence the application and regulatory challenges ahead • Build on the work of other bodies (TISPAN, 3GPP)
NGN-GSI • GSI = Global Standards Initiative • Developing the standards necessary for NGN deployment • These relate to network architectures, interface specifications, and implementation guidelines • NGN-GSI harmonizes, in collaboration with other bodies, different approaches to NGN architecture worldwide. • 22 Recommendations on NGN • Transition from legacy networks, service requirements, network architecture, security, QoS, etc.
World Standards Cooperation(WSC) • Members: ITU, ISO and IEC • Leadership meets regularly to coordinate work • Joint activities: e.g. Joint Video Team • Common IPR policy • … strongly encourages the disclosure of known patented technology from the outset. • Allows for companies’ IPR to be included in standards as long as it is made available under reasonable and non-discriminatory terms and conditions. • WSC also adopted Guidelines for the Implementation of the Common Patent Policy and a Patent Statement and License Declaration Form, and online patent database.
Global Standards Collaboration(GSC) • Members: ITU and leading regional standards development organisations • The mandate of GSC is to provide a venue to: • Exchange information on the progress of standards development • Collaborate in planning future standards development to gain synergy and to reduce duplication. • Support the ITU as the preeminent global telecommunication and radiocommunication standards development organization.
ITU-T and 3GPP • Since 2007 ITU-T participates at 3GPP PCG/OP and PCG meetings • Iterative process agreed: • ITU-T submits requirements on common IMS to 3GPP • 3GPP specifications on common IMS submitted to ITU-T for comment • Objective is adoption of 3GPP specifications as ITU Recommendations
ITU-T and IEEE • Mutual promotion of events of common interest was agreed in February 2007 • ITU-T participates in IEEE-SA Corporate Advisory Group (CAG) • Joint sponsorship of Kaleidoscope Events • ITU hosting of IEEE meetings: IEEE 802.1 and 802.3 • Joint ITU-T/IEEE Workshops: e.g. on Carrier-class Ethernet • IEEE 802 participates in ITU-T SG15
ITU-T and IETF • Regular ITU-T / IETF Leadership Gatherings • Joint group on MPLS
World Telecommunication Standardization AssemblyJohannesburg21-30 October 2008 • Emperors Palace Convention Centre • Hosted by Government of South Africa • Will be opened by Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri,Minister of Communications, South Africa • Chaired by Ms Lyndall Shope-Mafole, Director-General, Ministry of Communications, South Africa • Participation from governments, regulators, industry and observers from around the world, sponsored students encouraged • Over 700 participants expected • Will include exhibition of telecoms/ICT industry in South Africa • Preceded by Global Standards Symposium
World Telecommunication Standardization Assemblyobjectives • WTSA sets direction and structure • Decides on future standardization priorities • Ensure relevant, clear mandates avoiding duplication • Appoints chairmen and vice-chairmen • Proposals for: • Reduced membership fee for academia and developing country companies • To facilitate greater participation, especially of developing countries • Introduction of ITU Mark: interoperability testing • To standardise new services and applications
Global Standards SymposiumJohannesburg,20 October 2008 • Open to any interested party, free of charge • High level speakers from industry, government, regulators and standards development bodies • Themes: • Reducing the standardization gap • Proliferation of standardisation forums and bodies • Improving collaboration • Climate change • Accessibility • Will produce report to WTSA • Registration now open on ITU website
Come and join us • Chance to network with experts and policy makers from around the world • Influence the development of global standards and services • Open to new initiatives – can set up new interest groups very quickly • Produces results fast • Cost of participation is low – and lowering • Opportunity for fulfilling corporate social responsibility • Membership application details on ITU website
Thank you for your attention Malcolm.Johnson@itu.int www.itu.int