Journal Title: ITU News

Journal Issue: no. 10, 2000

Article Title: WTSA-2000: A blueprint for future standards-setting Page number(s): pp. 21-26

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WTSA-2000A blueprint for future standards-setting

■ Fast-track approva l process fo r technical standards

■ In ternationa l Internet connection■ G lo ba l ta rget schedules fo r accounting

rates

A s an open and inclusive organization with a track record of 135 years of achieve­ments, ITU has proved to be the unri­valled forum fo r the exchange of experience, for

debates and fo r negotiating agreements among and between governments and industry. The huge participation in the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (Montreal, September- O ctober 2000) shows that ITU continues to be an important forum fo r global standardization. Indeed, more than 620 delegates from 86 coun­tries, including several operators and manufac­turers, participated in the event.

Speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Martin Cauchon, M inister of National Revenue of Canada, who opened WTSA-2000 stressed the tremendous importance of the work of the Assembly to come up with a blueprint fo r future global standards-setting. "We believe this consensus will be a critical component to the realization of worldwide connectivity fo r the ben­efit of a ll", M r Cauchon said. The fact that in­dustry and government work together in part­nership to achieve positive results in the field of g lobal standardization is equally impressive and the G overnm ent o f C anada w ill take every

■ New Special Study G roup fo r IM T-2000 and beyond

■ Reform■ Rights o f Associates■ Structure o f ITU -T and its priorities

oportunity to ensure that our country continues to be recognized internationally as a high-tech nation, the M inister declared.

Above all, WTSA-2000 approved new work­ing methods and tools that should help ITU's Tel­ecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) remain an active and effective international fo ­rum where Member States, Sector Members and Associates can work together and encourage the deve lopm ent o f g loba l te lecom m unications. These include: new delegation of authority to the Telecom m unication Standardization Advisory Group (TSAG), leaner processes such as the hold­ing o f "v ir tu a l" meetings through electronic means, and a new fast-track approval procedure fo r technical standards.

"Collective wisdom resides in considering the results of our deliberations as representing 1 00 per cent of our best efforts even if, fo r some, they fall short of the totality of their expectations. Such is the yardstick by which to measure progress in a complex multilateral environment such as ours", declared M ike Israel, Chairman of WTSA-2000.

Congratulating M r Israel fo r his competence and skilful chairmanship, ITU Secretary-General,

ITU News 10/2000 21

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Yoshio Utsumi, said that the Assembly had taken a big stride into a new and exciting future for g lobal standardization. "ITU is equipped and organized to manage convergence and to b ro­ker supportive standards development to benefit all parties. There should be no need to go else­where. ITU can also manage the puzzle of bring­ing players together and working on agreements, cross-referenced standards and specifications, all geared towards the bigger goal of building the global information infrastructure (Gil)", the Secre­tary-General said.

ITU is equipped and organized to manage convergence and to broker supportive standards development to benefit all parties

Photo: © 2000 PhotoDisc, Inc. (ITU 000081)

For Houlin Zhao, Director of ITU's Telecom­munication Standardization Bureau (TSB), many proposals to the Assembly had been reform- related, illustrating the increasing interest to strengthen the Union's pre-eminent position in g loba l standardization of te lecom m unication technology and services. "WTSA-2000 comes at a very important juncture in our history. The de­cisions taken clearly demonstrate the strong com­mitment of ITU Members to strengthen global

standardization. The good spirit of cooperation and compromise helped the Assembly reach its goals, and the new tools it has adopted will make ITU-T more efficient", M r Zhao concluded.

Fast-track approval process for technical standards

One of the key decisions of the Assembly was the adoption of a fast-track approval process fo r standards without policy and regulatory im p li­cations. Known as Alternative Approval Process (AAP), the new procedure allows fo r standards that are developed to a sufficiently mature state to be circulated to M ember States and Sector Members fo r comment. After a four-week pe­riod, such standards will be considered approved if no comment of substance has been received, and if they are in line with the ITU patent policy. If comments are made by the end of the last call, the study group having developed the standard should trigger a series of processes in a bid to reach agreement. Underthis new approval pro­cedure, the adoption of a standard could take as little as two months from the time the text is mature.

The fast-track approval process will only be used fo r approving technical standards, and was to be applied with immediate effect. In the case of technical questions or standards with policy or regulatory implications, the Assembly agreed on criteria that should guide study groups. So far, the issues identified as having policy or regu­latory implications include: the right of the pub­lic to correspond, the protection of telecomm u­nication installations, numbering and address­ing resources, safety of life and practices app li­cable to competitive markets. For such matters, the Traditional Approval Procedure (TAP), where formal adoption by M ember States is required, will continue to be applied.

Two schools of thought emerged during the discussion on the AAR The first argued that the right of M ember States was at stake here and urged that any debate regarding the change of rights o f private sector Members should take place within the overall on-going discussions in the Working G roup on ITU Reform. The second recalled a resolution of the Plenipotentiary C on­ference (Minneapolis, 1 998), which talks of the two categories of Members (i.e. M ember States

22 ITU News 10/2000

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and Sector Members) acting together. It went on to sug­gest that from this perspec­tive, private sector Members should be given increased rights, including being able to approve standards.

Despite several proposals tab led in a bid to bridge these differences, the only way acceptable to all was the adoption of a text from TSAG. This text, which sets out the fast-track approval process, had been tabled fro m the o u tse t o f the Assembly to provide a way forward.

International Internet connection

Discussion on this very contentious issue of interna­tiona l Internet connection found a positive outcome on the last day of the Assembly w hen th is a u g u s t body adopted a new recommen­dation. The latter sets out the principle accord­ing to which there should be bilateral agreement when two providers establish a circuit between two countries fo r the purpose of carrying Internet traffic.

At present, when providers install Internet cir­cuits, they generally have a choice between the "sender-keeps-all", peering system of bilateral connections when traffic is more or less balanced, or the asymmetrical system whereby the initiat­ing provider pays fo r the whole connection with the other country (full-circuit cost).

The recommendation, which represents a very delicate balance between the various interests, calls fo r arrangements to be negotiated and agreed upon on a commercial basis when d i­rect Internet links are established internationally. Furthermore, it suggests that when negotiating such commercial arrangements, parties involved should take into account the possible need fo r compensation fo r elements such as traffic flow, number of routes, geographical coverage and

The Assembly adopted a new recommendation which calls for arrangements to be negotiated and agreed upon on a commercial basis when direct Internet links are established internationally

Photo: © 2000 PhotoDisc, Inc. (ITU 000082)

the cost of international transmission. The rec­ommendation is voluntary and does not prescribe any particular form ula or system, thus leaving to providers their freedom to determine the forms or methodologies to be used in implementing the principle.

WTSA-2000 also agreed that while interna­tional Internet connections remain subject to com m ercia l agreem ents between opera ting agencies, there is a need to continue studies in this area. Two countries, the United States and Greece, voiced reservations on this recommen­dation, stating tha t they w ou ld not app ly it in their international charging arrangements.

Global target schedules for accounting rates

Another burning issue concerned the target rates to be applied to the international settlement of accounts. Discussions on reforming account­ing rates have been going on fo r years in ITU-T Study Group 3. In December 1999, indicative

ITU News 10/2000 23

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N ew study group structure

Study Group 2 O perational aspects of service provision, networks and performance. Lead Study G roup fo r service definition, numbering and routing

Study Group 3 Tariff and accounting principles including related

telecommunications economic and policy issues

Study Group 4 Telecommunication management, including TMN. Lead Study Group on TMN

Study Group 5 Protection against electromagnetic environment effects

Study Group 6 Outside plant

Study Group 7 Data networks and open system communications. Lead Study Group on frame relay and fo r communication system security

Study Group 9 Integrated broadband cable networks and television and sound transmission. Lead Study G roup on integrated broadband cable and television networks

Study Group 10 Languages general software aspects fo r telecommunication systems. Lead Study Group on languages and description techniques

Study Group 11 Signalling requirements and protocols. Lead Study Group on intelligent networks

Study Group 12 End-to-end transmission performance o f networks and terminals

Study Group 13 M u lti-p ro to co l and IP-based networks and th e ir in terne tw ork ing . Lead Study Group fo r IP-related matters, B-ISDN, global information infrastructure and satellite matters

Study Group 15 O ptical and other transport networks. Lead Study Group on access network transport and on optical technology

Study Group 16 M ultimedia services, systems and terminals. Lead Study Group in these areas

Special Study Groupon IMT-2000 and beyond

Studies relating to network aspects of International M obile Telecom- m unications-2000 (IMT-2000) and beyond, including wireless Internet, convergence of mobile and fixed networks, mobility manage­ment, mobile multimedia functions, internetworking, interoperability. Lead Study G roup fo r overall network aspects of IMT-2000 and beyond

ITU News 10/2000

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ta rget rates, a long with specified deadlines fo r each country, were put forward fo r approval as an annex to Recommendation D. 140 with the aim o f easing transition to cost-oriented rates. This annex was the result of very delicate negotiations, but had been opposed by one country.

At the Assembly, those opposing the annex considered the target rates unacceptable, argu­ing that the annex failed to represent market conditions. Many countries however said that they had strived to move from monopoly to com peti­tive environments and to bring this liberalization process to fruition. So, fo rthem , a transition plan was imperative. Accounting rates had gone down by 12 per cent in the last three years. Many con­sidered that even if the annex was fa r from per­fect, it would provide a sound basis to continue the discussion in Study Group 3. In the end, the annex was adopted by an overwhelming m ajor­ity. Furthermore, the Assembly passed a resolu­tion instructing Study Group 3 to publish updated indicative target rates, calculated on the basis of the latest data available.

New Special Study Group on IMT-2000 and beyond

As anticipated, a special study group has been set up on IMT-2000 and beyond. This decision follows an intense and lively debate on the need fo r a new flexible and dynamic approach that would be better suited to respond rapidly to mobile market requirements. W hile all agreed with this objective, at the heart of the matter was the extent to which the new group's working methods should differ from those of other study groups.

In the end, the Assembly agreed that while having the status of a standard study group, the special group would operate under its own spe­cific , provisional set of working procedures. According to its mandate, the group will:

® Enhance network in teroperab ility among existing IM T-2000 systems specified by ITU-T, external standards development organizations, partnership projects, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), and other relevant external forum s.

• Harmonize different IMT-2000 family mem­ber standards as they evolve beyond IMT-2000.

® Provide, in terms o f network aspects and mobility, a migration path from existing IMT-2000 systems towards systems beyond IMT-2000.

• Serve as Lead Study G roup fo r the network aspects of IMT-2000 and beyond.

• Assess the possible standardization of IMT- 2 000 interfaces to provide m ulti-vendor advan­tages fo r operators, if these are not provided by external organizations.

• Consult representatives of ITU's Telecom­munication Development Sector (ITU-D) in or- de rto define how bestto assist developing coun­tries in the application of IMT-2000 and related wireless technologies.

In terms of output, the Special Study Group w ill develop and approve recom m endations (standards) in the same manner as other study groups. It will report on its activities and progress to TSAG meetings.

ReformMuch debate also took place on reforming

ITU standardization activities. Special emphasis was placed on the work o f an ad hoc group, which was established by the W orking G roup on ITU Reform to consider the question of creating a new global standardization entity under the umbrella of ITU. W TSA-2000 passed a resolu­tion encapsulating its views on the fundamental attributes o f technical standardization functions within ITU, based on eight key messages:

• That g lobal standards activities should be within the framework of ITU-T.

® That a distinction must be drawn between technical and regulatory work. The criteria needed to draw this distinction should be defined.

• That very close relations with other stand­ards-setting organizations need to be established to avoid duplication.

• That the impact on the work programme of ITU's three Sectors needs to be ascertained.

• That a phased-approach would need to be adopted to determine what can be implemented in the short term by WTSA and TSAG and what would require a decision of Council and /o r the Plenipotentiary Conference.

• That the impact on ITU finances would need to be evaluated.

• That the needs o f deve loping countries would have to be considered.

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• That the importance of close links with the regions would need to be reflected.

The resolution also contains ten fundamental attributes of a global standardization body and twelve key issues to address, taking into account a number of principles, namely: openness, trans­parency, visibility, consensus building and respon­siveness. Furthermore, WTSA-2000 decided that TSAG should take an active part in the on-going discussion of the Working Group on ITU Reform, including the ad hoc Group on the issue of cre­ating a new global standardization entity.

Structure of ITU-T and its prioritiesA total of 1 93 questions have been allocated

to the Sector's 14 study groups. General areas of responsibility were also agreed upon to guide each study group in the development of post-2000 study questions. The new study group structure will become effective on 1 January 2001.

WTSA-2000 designated the chairmen and vice- chairmen of the study groups, as well as those of TSAG and has limited their terms of office to eight years (two mandates). The Assembly also retained the Inter-Sector Coordination Group on Satellite Matters (ICG-SAT) and the existing regional tariff groups fo r A frica , Asia and O cean ia , Latin America, and Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. Furthermore, it has proposed that a new regional tariff group be established for the Arab countries. ■

Offices, as well as with regional organizations. This would include the possibility to hold ITU-T meetings in the regions and to assist developing countries in studies on priority questions such as voice over the Internet Protocol (VoIP), mobile technology or multimedia. Furthermore, the As­sembly decided to provide administrations of developing countries and those of LDCs with free electronic access to standards and publications posted on the Web, pending approval by ITU's annual governing body.

Rights of AssociatesWTSA-2000 adopted the conditions under

which Associates can participate in the work of ITU-T. The decision to establish a new category of participants in ITU work, known as Associ­ates, was taken by the M inneapolis Conference in 1 998. In essence, interested entities or organi­zations will now be able to join the Sector as Associates, and be entitled to take part in the work of a selected single study group, as well as in the process of preparing standards within that group.

The creation o f this new category aims to encourage greater participation in the work

of ITU by smaller companies, institu­tions and organ izations with h ighly

focused areas of activity. ITU hopes to draw on the knowledge and expertise of

these entities, when mutual interests exist.

Mobile telephony goes multimedia. With its high-definition screen, this GSM handset provides wireless access to multimedia applications in colour

Photo: Nokia (ITU 000083)

Another resolution calls fo r greater involve­ment of developing countries in standardization activities. The resolution notes the difficulties which developing countries and least developed countries (LDC), particularly in Africa, encoun­ter in their efforts to participate effectively in the work of the Standardization Sector. The resolu­tion calls fo r close cooperation with ITU Regional

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