Consumer Protection in the IP-enabled NGNs

1. ITU New Initiatives Workshop: What Rules for IP-enabled NGN? Consumer Protection in the IP-enabled NGNs Sergio Antocicco Chairman INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS USERS GROUP sergio.antocicco@anuit.it

2. contents • about INTUG • NGN – some considerations • a possible scenario • technical problems • standardisation • interconnection • interoperability • conclusions

3. what is INTUG? • members • national associations • corporations • individuals • activities • ITU and WTO • OECD • APEC TEL, CITEL and EU

4. our aims • real and effective competition • genuine choice for users • lower prices • higher quality • more innovative services • constructive co-operation with • international bodies • governments • regulators

5. NGN definition (ITU-T) • a Next Generation Network is a packet-based network able to provide telecommunication services, able to make use of multiple broadband, QoS-enabled transport technologies and in which service-related functions are independent from underlying transport-related technologies. • it offers unrestricted access by users to different service providers • it supports generalised mobility which will allow consistent and ubiquitous provision of services to users Source: ITU-T SG 13

6. NGN definition (ETSI-TISPAN) • a multi-service, multi-protocol, multi-access, IP-based network • secure, reliable and trusted • an enabler for Service Providers to offer: – real-time communication services – peer-to-peer and client-server – nomadicity and mobility of both users and devices – interoperability between legacy and next generation services and networks • regulatory compliance (e.g., lawful interception, number portability and emergency services)

7. The NGN architecture

8. Access technologies

9. IP numbering:IPv4 >> IPv6

10. Interested parties • Operators: – cost savings – new services and revenues – possibility of a new regulatory environment • Enterprises: – fast return on investment – new value-added functionalities • Consumers: • lower prices • life-style choices • exciting devices and services

11. outstanding issues • continuing power of incumbents (some have already an NGN like internal network) • possible creation of oligopolies • Long distance and local loop unbundling • Multi services networks

12. A possible scenario • access via one single line (broadband) • using several devices: from the classical telephone, to TV set, PC, video and multimedia boxes • easy access to the Internet at high speed • high quality video, general entertainment • interactive learning • new services (to be invented) .....

13. A possible scenario • From the users’ perspective, the convergence of services will enable theemergence of the seamless service concepts, where users can access their “tailored set” of services from any type of access network. • End-to-end QoS is one of the most important user requirements

14. A possible scenario • connecting inanimate objects to networks • networks and networked devices become ubiquitous • electronic tags (e.g. RFID) and sensors extend the communication and monitoring potential of the “network of networks”

15. Not simply a new network • fixed broadband: – corporate – residential • wireless broadband networks: – Wi-Fi – WiMAX • cellular voice and data networks • digital broadcast networks(DAB, DVB, terrestrial, satellite, handheld) • (re-)distribution (Wi-Fi and UWB): – office and residential – Personal Area Networks (PANs) – car networks

16. Some technical problems for interconnection • Latency • the time it takes a bit of data to get through a network link • jitter • the weighted average of the latency difference between every pair of consecutive packets received • jitter particularly affects the performance of real-time applications such as streaming video and audio

17. Some technical problems for interconnection • If latency and jitter are tuned by each Operator in order to supply a good QoS to their customers, interconnection with other Operators’ networks may produce poor overall performance and decrease dramatically the QoS

18. Loch Lomond Accord • agreement from 1997-98 between users and VPN providers • service management and end-to-end fault diagnosis and ownership • administration and billing: – one stop shopping – one stop billing • synchronised private numbering for On-net to On-net calling • calling line identification (CLI) and ringback-when-free

19. Standardisation • very complicated work at: – ITU SG 13 – ETSI TISPAN – 3GPP – etc. • impossible to assess: – user needs – implications of standardisation • driven by: – manufacturers – operators

20. interconnection • well established rules for: – conventional networks – IP data networks • for NGNs interconnection we must refer to: – price – quality of service – interworking

21. interoperability • services must be available on the networks to which users have access • devices and networks must interwork • network selection criteria: – the cheapest – the best quality – security – reliability • Administrative and billing implications

22. interoperability • relating to network capabilities: – Network Address Translators and firewalls – routing tables – Quality of Service capabilities and interconnect – network coverage – termination capabilities • related to accessing services and content: – unnecessary software and service bundles – tunnelling – filtering mechanisms and digital rights – end-user devices – content

23. interoperability • relating to user information: – authentication, single log-on and user profile management – customer billing information – access to customer information systems – resolution of names and numbers through customer identity systems – functions for determining location

24. conclusion • NGN: one network paradigm is not appropriate • NGN creates complex problems of: – access – interconnection – interoperability • no clarity about the protection to: – consumers – enterprises

25. conclusion For Users, some principle must be fullfilled: • Cost orientation • Widest choice • Transparency in QoS and tariffs • Opt-in rule Users expect a demand driven mechanism, but, until now, little evidence of that

26. thank you Sergio Antocicco INTUG tel + 39 06 59 58 53 70 fax +39 06 59 42 724 VoIP Skype e VoipCheap: sergiotlc VoIP dial-in: +1 703 349 0468 sergio.antocicco@anuit.it