Convergence/Interactive Broadcast: Summary from the IP/MC2004 Workshop

1. Convergence/Interactive Broadcast:Summary from the IP/MC2004 Workshop Simão F. Campos Neto Vice-Chair, SG16 (Brazil); Chair WP 3/16 (Media Coding) Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications 22300 COMSAT Drive; Clarksburg, MD 20871 – USA simao.campos@labs.comsat.com

2. MM3/MM4 Objectives • Common understanding of Convergence with focus on mobile and broadcasting • Top down approach (users and services/applications perspectives) • Identify need for further steps to ensure interoperability • Contribute to the definition of the Roadmap for MM-standardization • Guidance for activities inside and outside ITU

3. MM3/MM4 Presentations • Opening, session introduction & definitions, Swisscom, Mr.P.A. Probst • EBU strategy for broadcasting/telecommunication convergence, EBU,Mr. F. Kozamernik • Services aspects: the mobile approach, Telecom Italia Lab., Mr. G. Colombo • Introduction of MM-services in an emerging market, ANATEL, Mr. L. F. Ferreira Silva • Platform and terminal aspects, LMGT, Mr. S. Campos Neto • ITU-R Activities in Multimedia & Broadcasting, Mr. G. Chouinard,Vice-chair ITU-R WP6M

4. List of actions relating to interoperability, interworking and evolution of applications and services

5. Five aspects • Architecture • Services/Applications • Media Coding • Terminals • Other

6. Architecture (1) • Model: Define an open model common to the different organizations developing convergence services which allows service and network evolutions including the various migration paths. • Network resources: Network and system design should allow the use of asymmetrical resources - in addition to symmetric network resources.- for the support of MM applications which are based on “terminal-to-server” communications type.

7. Architecture (2) • Transport platforms: What are the specific requirements to the architecture to allow an evolutionary approach based on various options for the transport layer. • API: Develop and define common APIs to ensure separate evolution of services and networks. • “Roaming”: Define means to allow interactivity over different networks (Roaming between administrative domains).

8. Services/Applications (1) • Model: Definition of a model common to the different organizations developing convergence services which is open and allows service and network evolutions including the various migration paths • Definition and description: Develop a service description model which includes attributes like bit-rate, pt to multipoint/multicast/anypoint (including webcasting), real time/non-real time, etc… considering also the impact on architecture.

9. Services/Applications (2) • Customization: Service model and description should support the customization of services (e.g. bundling of services) • Location-based services: Service model and description should allow the provision of services based on location information in the mobile and e-commerce areas, including the requirements specific to these two areas

10. Services/Applications (3) • Business models: Service models and description methods should support specific business models and their evolution in the MM scene (e.g. content-oriented, transport-oriented, etc.) • Digital Rights Management: Need for support for Digital Rights Management was recognized. • Digital Cinema: Identify the impact on the A/V codecs and transport networks

11. Media Coding • Model: Development of a functional model including generic requirements to avoid the proliferation of incompatible codecs. • Speech recognition: Develop a study program which cover the need for the various applications (voice control, speaker identification, etc…).

12. Terminals • Model:Develop a model common to the different organizations developing convergence services which would ease interoperability and take care of the various transport platforms used as well as the environment in which they are used (mobile versus fixed; office versus home; etc).

13. Other issues (1) • Definitions: Convergence has different meaning across the different industries and there is a need to consider convergence and its impact from these different viewpoints. • Spectrum: Improve the coordination between the network/system/service designers and the bodies dealing with spectrum issues (allocation, sharing, propagation, etc) with the aim to specify standards which are implementable and market-oriented.

14. Other issues (2) • Business cases: Improve the coordination among the different organizations developing convergence services to define market expectations based on technology, evolution, economics, regulatory framework, etc. • Service provisioning and regulatory framework: Improve the coordination among the different organizations developing convergence services in order to better assess the impact of the regulatory framework on the provisioning of multimedia services.

15. Other issues (3) • Service and network evolution: Improve the coordination among the different organizations developing convergence services in order to address evolution scenarios that ensure interoperability under the various environments (legacy systems, economics, teledensity, regulatory framework, etc)

16. Conclusion • Several areas of work were identified • Convergence has many dimensions: • Services • Architecture/Technology • Business models: economic and regulatory aspects • Broadcasting: emphasis on content; Telecoms: emphasis on delivery technologies • Evolution towards a converged world: opening interfaces and learning to work together

17. IP/MC2004 Proceedings Proceedings are available in the ITU WEB site:http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/workshops/ipnetwork_mediacom2004/program.html

18. Supplementary Slides:Author’s highlights on the different presentations

19. MM3/MM4 Presentation details (1) • Opening, session introduction & definitionsMr. P.A. Probst (Swisscom) Mr. Probst (Swisscom) opened the session, addressing some preliminary issues. The concept of convergence is different in different areas: applications, terminals, services, networks, and business models. These concepts can be mapped into three dimensions of convergence: layers, terminals, and business areas. Unfortunately, users are not very active in standardization activities, hence their needs are difficult to assess. However, the basic issues for customers are price, performance, and interoperability.

20. MM3/MM4 Presentations • EBU broadcasting/telecom convergence strategyMr. F. Kozamernik (EBU) Mr. Kozamernik presented EBU’s vision of convergence, a synergy between the broadcast and telecom industries. Broadcast and telecom are mature industries that in the past evolved separately and only recently tried to evolve together. The difference in their approaches (telecoms: one-to-one basis, broadcasting: one-to-many) are complementary. Traditionally, broadcaster’s emphasis is on content, while telecoms are mainly interested in delivery technology. Different business models imply different end-user costs: free content, paid-for terminals/converters; paid content, low cost terminals/converters. Scarcity of spectrum in Europe is a major issue in the evolution of interactive broadcasting. It is also difficult to get all players on board. Additionally, evolution is difficult because of all the very different national regulatory issues. In the implementation of Interactive Broadcast, three phases are foreseen: Level 1 (no return link with internal storage device), Level 2 (return channel to content/service/mux provider), and Level 3 (true interaction will happen allowing customized broadcast). As a conclusion, there are opportunities for both broadcasters and telecoms, since synergy of platforms can strengthen both and enable new services and applications to develop. Spectrum resources are one of the major constraints for offering enriched services.

21. MM3/MM4 Presentations • Services aspects: the mobile approachMr. G. Colombo (Telecom Italia Lab) Mr. Colombo discussed convergence from the mobile viewpoint. Major trends shaping the future of mobile communications are convergence of services & applications, of service control & creation, of network solutions, and increased personalization of services. Mediation elements (IN) foster an evolutionary convergence by allowing different services to be provided through different systems. The adoption of IP by the mobile operators will enable more flexible configuration of networks and new sources of revenue (as an ISP and as radio-access provider to ISPs) but QoS remains a critical issue to be resolved. Evolution towards open service architectures will allow new business models, new service creation modalities, and transparency between services & networks. Subscriber Identification Modules (SIM) allow for subscriber authentication as well as personalization of the services provided (soon: storage of user data, ciphering keys, etc). In 3G, better mobile terminals will allow better representation of content. Higher capacity will also allow continuous mobility from today's discrete mobility (e.g. GPRS). In conclusion, the mobile convergence elements are Applications and Services (unifying fixed & mobile services; provision of voice & data services), Service Creation and Control (Intelligent Network plays a key role in provisioning integrated services today; an Open Service Architecture will allow in the future a better integration, towards a virtual home environment), and System and Technological Solutions (for new mobile/IP mobility paradigms and the mobile/IP transport and QoS requirements).

22. MM3/MM4 Presentations • Introduction of MM-services in an emerging marketMr. L. F. Ferreira Silva (ANATEL) Mr. Ferreira-Silva made a presentation on technological convergence in Brazil, with emphasis on the regulatory aspect. He described regulatory aspects in support of Multimedia services and the technical characteristics of some regulated services in Brazil that will enable Multimedia services.

23. MM3/MM4 Presentations • Platform and terminal aspectsMr. S. Campos Neto (Vice-chair SG16) The presenter reviewed the available ITU-T Recommendations that support the implementation of multimedia services. He noted that many Internet-based applications popular today are already described (although in different terms) in the F-series. He also reviewed the logical connections from services to terminals to media components.

24. MM3/MM4 Presentations • ITU-R Activities in Multimedia & BroadcastingMr. G. Chouinard (Vice-chair ITU-R WP6M) Gérald Chouinard (Vice-chair ITU-R WP 6M) made a presentation of the ITU-R SG 6 Activities (Multimedia & Broadcasting). There are six working parties in ITU-R SG6; his group defines requirements for interactive radiocommunication broadcast services and systems. The group will work to identify features for interactive broadcasting, the return link capacity requirement for interactive broadcasting, and the spectrum requirements for provisioning Multimedia services.