Working methods of ITU-T Georges Sebek Counselor, SG 17 ITU

2 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Outline 1.High level overview and structure of ITU-T 2.Study groups 3.Questions 4.Other roles / groups / activities 5.Standardization overview 1.Development of Recommendations 2.Meeting documentation 3.Approval of Recommendations

3 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Q = Questions Develop RecommendationsJCA: Joint Coordination Activity GSI: Global Standards Initiative WORLD TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDIZATION ASSEMBLY WORLD TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDIZATION ASSEMBLY TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDIZATION ADVISORY GROUP TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDIZATION ADVISORY GROUP High level overview and structure IPR ad hoc Workshops, Seminars, Symposia, … Consensus WORKING PARTY Q WORKING PARTY WORKING PARTY STUDY GROUP Q Q Q Focus Groups Q WORKING PARTY GSIs JCA ITU Plenipotentiary Assemblies (PP) (every 4 years)

4 Geneva, 26 January 2009 ITU-T study groups SG 2 - Operational aspects of service provision and telecommunications management SG 3 - Tariff and accounting principles including related telecommunication economic and policy issues SG 5 - Protection against electromagnetic environment effects SG 9 - Television and sound transmission and integrated broadband cable networks SG 11 - Signalling requirements, protocols and test specifications SG 12 - Performance, QoS and QoE SG 13 - Future networks including mobile and NGN SG 15 - Optical transport networks and access network infrastructures SG 16 - Multimedia coding, systems and applications SG 17 – Security TSAG - Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group

5 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Questions Q.1 - Telecommunications systems security project Q.2 - Security architecture and framework Q.3 - Telecommunications information security management Q.4 - Cybersecurity Q.5 - Countering spam by technical means Q.6 - Security aspects of ubiquitous telecommunication services Q.7 - Secure application services Q.8 - Service oriented architecture security Q.9 - Telebiometrics Q.10 - Identity management architecture and mechanisms Q.11 - Directory services, Directory systems, and public-key/attribute certificates Q.12 - Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1), Object Identifiers (OIDs) and associated registration Q.13 - Formal languages and telecommunication software Q.14 - Testing languages, methodologies and framework Q.15 - Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) EXAMPLE FOR SG 17

6 Geneva, 26 January 2009 New/revision to Questions (Res. 1, §7)Res. 1, §7

7 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Other roles/groups/activities Lead study groupsLead study groups (Res. 1, § 2.1.6)Res. 1, § Manage and coordinate ITU-T studies forming a defined programme of work involving a number of SGs Focus groups Focus groups (Rec. A.7)Rec. A.7 Work on well-defined topic and time-schedule for completion Ex.: Focus Group on IP television (IPTV) Focus Group on ICTs and climate change (ICT&CC) Focus Group on Future networks (FN) (Participation of non-member experts welcome) Standardization committee for vocabularyStandardization committee for vocabulary (Res. 67)Res. 67 set up to address the need for a harmonized understanding of all terms and definitions used in standardization

8 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Other roles/groups/activities Workshops/Seminars Workshops/Seminars Cover the most important topics in modern telecommunication technology and applications Speakers are renowned telecommunication experts Usually free of charge and open to public ITU-T special projects Study on a major topic, involving multiple Questions from one or several SGs: e.g., NGN Project Management, ICT Security Standards Roadmap Technology watch Technology Watch will survey the ICT environment, focusing on new/emerging technologies and examining market trends in order to capture new topics for standardization work

9 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Other roles/groups/activities Global standards initiativeGlobal standards initiative (GSI) – Not a working entity but a name for the package of work being conducted through collocated meetings of the involved study groups and rapporteur groups under the umbrella of a coordinated work plan managed by the JCA. – IdM-GSI, NGN-GSI, IPTV-GSI Joint coordination activityJoint coordination activity (JCA) – Tool for management of the work programme of ITU-T when there is a need to address a broad subject covering the area of competence of more than one study group. A JCA may help to coordinate the planned work effort in terms of subject matter, time-frames for meetings, collocated meetings where necessary and publication goals. – Work continues to be conducted by the relevant study groups and the results are subject to the normal approval processes within each study group.

10 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Other roles/groups/activities Regional Groups – Res. 54 of the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) resolves to support the creation of regional groups in study groups, in addition to those already existing in Study Group 3. – SG 2: RG - ARB Regional Group of SG2 in the ARAB Region – SG 3: Tariff Group Tariff Group for Africa Tariff Group for Asia and Oceania Tariff Group for Latin America Tariff Group for Europe and Mediterranean Basin

11 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Other roles/groups/activities Flagship groups – Program 4 of the Annex to Res. 44 concerns flagship groups for bridging the standardization gap. This new type of group was defined by WTSA in – SG 2: Flagship Group on NNA (IPv6). Cooperation with universities – Many new technologies find life in the minds of the academic and research communities. ITU is increasingly looking to attract more involvement from the worlds universities and other academic institutions. – Res.71, Admission of academia, universities and their associated research establishments to participate in the work of ITU-T Strategic importance of increasing participation from academia and R&D organizations ITU Council invited to consider reduced membership fees Find means within existing rules – Kaleidoscope. Events aiming to increase the dialogue between experts working on the standardization of ICTs and academia. These forward looking events will also seek to identify new topics for standardization. Yearly event. Kaleidoscope

12 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Standardization overview Development of Recommendations Meeting documentation Approval of Recommendations

13 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Development of Recommendations Responsibility for a Recommendation resides within a Question The rapporteur for the Question is responsible for leading the work on the assigned draft Recommendations If the workload is significant, associate rapporteurs and/or editors can be appointed All work in progress is recorded and the work programme updated as necessary The work programme is available on the ITU-T website

14 Geneva, 26 January 2009 The work is driven by contributions from the membership When necessary, assistance, comment may be requested from experts in other SGs or external standardization organization (liaison statement) The liaison mechanism also helps for avoiding duplication of work If required, a coordination structure can be established (e.g., JCAs) Development of Recommendations

15 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Development of Recommendations Other sources for progressing Recommendations – Focus group deliverables – Standards from other SDOs, received via liaison statements – Results from relevant workshops – Guidance from coordination / advisory groups (i.e., JCAs, TSAG) Tools – Work programme, project management, definitions and abbreviations database, Questions exploders, discussion board, FTP for documentation exchange, e-meetings, face-to- face meetings

16 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Development of Recommendations Face-to-face meetings. The experts in a Question work area can meet at a study group meeting (basically every 8-9 months), at a working party meeting (may be organized in between study group meetings) or at interim rapporteur group meetings. SG and WP meetings are decisional (SG/WP can agree a Recommendation enter the approval process). However, only a SG meeting can decide on the final approval of a Recommendation

17 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Development of Recommendations SG and WP meetings benefit from the support of the ITU/TSB. Generally organized in Geneva. However, upon invitation by Members the meeting may be held outside of Geneva (e.g., January 2008, SG 11, 13 and 19 held in Seoul, Korea). They are officially announced (Collective-letters) by the ITU/TSB Rapporteurs are responsible for the organization of interim rapporteur group meetings or activities, including for the logistics, e-meetings,.. The date and venue of these meetings are shown on the relevant SG web page

18 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Meeting documentation Contributions or COM-N documents. (N=SG number) Must be submitted at least 10 calendar days before the meeting. The source can only be a (or a group of) Member of the ITU-T. (submitted at least 2 months before the meeting if translation is required) Reports Official records of SG, WP or rapporteur group meetings. To be available shortly after the closure of the meetings ( Rec. A.1) Rec. A.1

19 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Meeting documentation Temporary Documents Submitted by a meeting official (a member of the SG management team, rapporteur, editor, etc.) or TSB Includes, for example: – Reports of interim rapporteur group meetings or other activities (workshop, seminar, etc.) – Latest draft text for Recommendations – Inputs from other SGs as liaison statements – Inputs from other Standards Development Organizations (SDOs), forums and consortia, also as liaison statementsStandards Development Organizations – Any group reports generated during a meeting

20 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Meeting documentation Related documentation – Circulars: Information of general interest Circulars Annual ITU-T meetings schedule Announcement of Workshops Announcement of GSI events Announcement of Approval and deletion of Recommendations and Questions Questionnaires – Collective-letters: Invitation to a specific SG/WP meeting Collective-letters with agenda, meeting plan, etc. – AAP Announcements: Information on Recommendations under AAP process AAP Announcements posted on 1st and 16th of every month (e-version only)

21 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Meeting documentation Any ITU-T member 1) may submit 2) contributions using the Templates,ITU-T memberTemplates preferably electronically - to SG xx - Automated document submission systemAutomated document submission system - FTP drop box via the web (requires TIES account) FTPTIES account 1) and ITU-T Associate 2) Please consult your home organization for national approval processes WHO can contribute? HOW?

22 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Approval of Recommendations SG or WP DETERMINES SG or WP CONSENTS Member State CONSULTATION by mail SG DECIDES Post to web ~10 months TAP AAP Commen t Post to Web N Y (2 times max) SG DECIDES <10 weeks (average) Approved SG: Study Group WP: Working Party Post to web

23 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Approval of Recommendations TAP – Traditional approval process – DETERMINATION at a physical WP/SG meeting – CONSULTATION of Member States by mail – DECISION to approve is taken at next study group meeting, about 9 months later AAP – Alternative approval process – CONSENT at a physical meeting – notification of AAP initiation – LAST CALL (and ADDITIONAL REVIEW) via web – If no substantive comments are submitted, Recommendation is approved

24 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Approval of Recommendations TAP or AAP A Question is developing Recommendations that are a priori identified as relevant to an approval process (AAP or TAP) A text having policy/regulatory implications will follow the TAP The pre-determined approval process track for a Recommendation may be changed

25 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Approval of Recommendations Sequence of AAP events SG or WP ) LC: Last Call AR: Additional Review meeting (1 Edited text for LC (2) Approved 4 (b) (c) 911 (a) (b) (a) (b) Director's announcement and posting for LC (3) Edited text for AR (8) Director's announcement and posting for AR (10) Director's announcement and posting (5) SG Meeting (6) Director's notification and publication (see Rec. A.11)Rec. A.11 (12) 3 weeks Approved Comment resolution AR 3 weeks LC 4 weeks (7) (Rec. A.8, Fig. 1)Rec. A.8

26 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Approval of Recommendations Other SG deliverables Normative – approved by TAP or AAP – Amendments (e.g., Annexes to Recommendations) – Corrigenda to Recommendations Non-normative – agreed by consensus at a SG (or WP, for Supplement) – Amendments (e.g., Appendices) – Supplements – Implementers Guides – Handbooks, Manuals, …

27 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Summary ITU-T working methods are open and transparent Much flexibility is available for the development of Recommendations Consensus based-approval Timely development of Recommendations to meet the telecommunication market needs Maintenance of Recommendations (long term relevance)

28 Geneva, 26 January 2009 Thank you for your attention