ITU-T e-FLASH
Telecommunication Standardization Sector
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The Telecommunication Standardization Bureau of ITU would like to wish you all a very successful and enjoyable 2012, and thank you all for your support and contributions to ITU-T during 2011!
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ITU approves new worldwide smart grid standards
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Key standards (ITU-T Recommendations) on smart grid have been
approved at a recent ITU SG 15 meeting.
Recommendations ITU-T
G.9955 and G.9956 define three
international next generation narrowband powerline communications
(NB-PLC) standards. The approved family of standards will enable
cost-effective smart grid applications such as distribution
automation, diagnostic and fault location, smart metering, demand
response, energy management, smart appliances, grid-to-home
communications and advanced recharging systems for electric
vehicles.
The standards are an ideal platform for smart grid
applications because of their use of power lines as a communications
medium which is under the direct and complete control of power
utilities.
Full press release |
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Carrier network standards approved at Geneva meeting
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Key standards (ITU-T Recommendations) on a technology (MPLS-TP)
required by telecoms operators to increase network efficiency while
also reducing capex and opex costs have been approved (or attained
first level approval) at a recent ITU meeting.
MPLS-TP refers to extensions to the IETF's MPLS protocol
developed in cooperation with the IETF. MPLS can carry packets of
different types, allowing telecom operators to offer private
connections as well as IP services. Many network operators expect
MPLS-TP to work under the same principles as longstanding ITU
transport network technologies like SDH and OTN. MPLS-TP provides
network operators with a reliable packet-based technology the
operation of which aligns with current organizational processes and
large-scale work procedures. Its deployment may reduce the need for
layer 3 routing in an operator’s network.
Another important draft standard in the field has been
forwarded to ITU’s quadrennial World Telecommunication
Standardization Assembly (WTSA-12) in Dubai next year. This provides
an Ethernet based protocol for operations, administration and
management (OAM) for Transport MPLS (MPLS-TP). The delay in approval
follows the breakdown of a deal brokered by the Japanese
administration in November. The compromise proposed was intended to
address concerns expressed by IETF, following a series of previous
setbacks, detailed here and here. Unfortunately the IETF were unable
to deliver one key element of the proposal, the ACh codepoint which
contributed to four national delegations vetoing the standard.
Malcolm Johnson, Director, Telecommunication Standardization
Bureau, ITU: “I would like to thank Japan for its great effort as a
neutral party to find a compromise that took into account IETF’s
concerns. It is clear that the majority of the world’s ICT industry
and governments supports this standard. It is a practical solution
demanded by operators around the globe. I am hopeful that IETF will
be able to assign the ACh codepoint before WTSA-12 which should
allow the standard to be approved by consensus. ITU has a tradition
of working by consensus but this is dependent on delegations being
willing to compromise.”
At the close of its December meeting Study Group 15 repeated
its request to the IETF to provide an ACh codepoint for the Ethernet
based OAM protocols. This request is in line with ITU’s continued
commitment to a collegial working environment for ICT standards
development. |
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Announcing the launch of a Global Survey on e-Waste
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ITU, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)/ Secretariat
of the Basel Convention and the United Nations University (UNU), in
collaboration with the Solving the E-waste Problem (StEP) Initiative
and the Center for Environment and Development for the Arab Region
and Europe (CEDARE), have launched a joint survey on e-waste.
This survey aims to collect detailed data on e-waste
management, policies and standards; constructing a comprehensive
overview of the current e-waste landscape and identifying future
challenges in this realm. Such a mapping of the e-waste issue will
establish a base upon which the exchange of e-waste information and
best practices can occur, and will form a valuable tool in
communicating the gravity of the problem and promoting collaborative
work in the future development of policy and management of e-waste.
The widespread use of electrical and electronic equipment
(EEE) has raised public awareness of its positive effects such as
the reduction of the digital divide, but also of the negative
environmental and health effects associated with the inefficient
waste management of end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment
(WEEE or e-waste).
There have been alarming reports of e-waste mismanagement in
many countries, particularly in less developed nations and countries
with economies in transition. E-waste is a significant contributor
to the ICT industry’s impact on the environment, and urgent global
action to address this issue is essential if the industry is to
fulfill its commitment to a sustainable future.
For further information, please see the survey’s webpage:
http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/climatechange/e-waste/index.html |
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Personalized signage: the next digital revolution?
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The arresting digital displays of Times Square, Piccadilly Circus
and Shibuya are just a foretaste of a brave new world of cityscapes
illuminated by interactive, dynamic and highly targeted signage,
according to a new
ITU-T Technology Watch Report, Digital signage:
the right information in all the right places.
Advances in display technologies, declining manufacturing
costs and a retail boom in emerging economies are all contributing
to the rapid spread of large-scale high-definition display networks.
But the proprietary nature of current digital signage solutions is
restricting the integration of applications across different
networks and vendors. Interoperable global standards will be crucial
to the future development of this emerging market, unlocking
enormous value not just for display system developers, retailers and
newscasters, but for governments and the community at large.
Tomorrow’s dynamic signage can play a crucial civic role in
areas like traffic management, public transport systems, safe crowd
management at large events, control of people flows in public areas
and private venues, and emergency response systems. But to do that
effectively, standardized platforms will be crucial.
Full press release |
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Job vacancy: Programme Coordinator, Conformity and Interoperability
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ITU is inviting applications for the post of Programme Coordinator,
Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB), at ITU headquarters
in Geneva, Switzerland.
Lack of conformity and interoperability of ICT equipment is a
major concern, especially in developing countries. Ensuring the
interoperability of ICT products and services is one of the founding
principles of the ITU.
The successful candidate should have an excellent knowledge
of the ICT industry and, in particular, the ICT standardization
landscape. Familiarity with ITU-T rules and procedures, its meeting
activities and its products would be an advantage, as would previous
involvement in the development of standards.
An attractive package of salary (approximately USD
124,047-166,220 with dependents; USD 115,789-154,533 without
dependents [Net of Tax]) plus international allowances and benefits
is offered (subject to eligibility).
The closing date for applications is 31 January 2012.A
detailed vacancy notice and application form can be downloaded at
http://www.itu.int/employment/. Applications using the form must be
sent to recruitment@itu.int or by post to ITU Human Resources
Policies Division, Place des Nations, CH-1211, Geneva 20,
Switzerland.
Applications must reach ITU by the closing date. |
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Job vacancy: Chief, Operations and Planning Department
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ITU is inviting applications for the post of Chief of the Operations
and Planning Department, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau
(TSB), at ITU headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
For more information see:
http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/info.The
Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB) provides essential
logistical support to ITU-T’s 10 Study Groups including electronic
working facilities and meeting management. It also manages
promotion, workshops, membership, documents, finance, the website
etc. It is the body responsible for providing cohesion to ITU-T’s
standards making process.
The successful candidate should have an excellent knowledge
of the ICT industry and, in particular, the ICT standardization
landscape. Familiarity with ITU-T rules and procedures, its meeting
activities and its products would be an advantage, as would previous
involvement in the development of standards.
The senior management level (Director level in the United
Nations system) post demands strong organizational skills and
diplomacy. Under the general direction of the TSB’s Director, the
incumbent will plan and coordinate the activities of the Operations
and Planning Department.
The incumbent will also be expected to provide authoritative
advice to the Director and the Deputy to the Director on all the
matters for which he/she is responsible, and will contribute to TSB
strategy and policy through their participation in the TSB
management committee.
An attractive package of salary (approximately USD
213,046-244,756 with dependants; USD 196,923-224,263 without
dependants [Net of Tax]) plus international allowances and benefits
is offered (subject to eligibility).
The closing date for applications is 31 January 2012.A
detailed vacancy notice and application form including remuneration
can be downloaded at www.itu.int/employment. Applications using the
form must be sent to recruitment@itu.int or by post to ITU Human
Resources Administration Division, Place des Nations, CH-1211,
Geneva 20, Switzerland.
Applications must reach ITU by the closing date. |
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New ITU standards fuel virtualization and energy saving for Future Networks
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ITU-T’s Study Group 13 has consented new standards underpinning
central elements of Future Networks (FNs); multiple virtual networks
enabling a wide range of network services, and energy saving
capabilities superior to those offered by traditional network
technologies.
Future Networks (FNs) will provide revolutionary
capabilities, facilities and services which will be difficult to
support using existing network technologies. The number and range of
network-based services is expected to explode in the near future,
and a single network architecture will struggle to satisfy the
requirements unique to each of these new services. Forming multiple
physical networks will demand large outlays of capital for their
installation, operation and maintenance. FNs thus need to realize
diverse services through the creation of heterogenous network
architectures overlaying a common physical network.
The new standards are Recommendation ITU-T Y.3011, “Framework
of Network Virtualization for Future Networks”, and Recommendation
ITU-T Y.3021, “Framework of Energy Saving for Future
Networks.”Recommendation Y.3011 provides a framework of network
virtualization technology, a means allowing multiple virtual
networks called Logically Isolated Network Partitions (LINPs) to
coexist in a single physical network. Network Virtualization will
create isolated, flexible networks supporting a broad range of
network architectures and services. Their isolation will allow the
satisfaction of services’ unique requirements, but also presents the
opportunity to create experimental networks or test-beds where
developers, providers and users can design and evaluate new
services. The flexibility of these virtual networks is another key
feature of Y.3011’s design, allowing the reconfiguration of networks
to reflect the evolving characteristics of FN services and
applications as they mature.
Environmental awareness is one of the fundamental objectives
of FNs and energy-saving technologies form a crucial part of their
development. Through their creation of network architectures for
smart energy grids and ubiquitous sensor networks, FNs will do much
to improve the energy efficiency of other non-ICT industry sectors.
Their proliferation will however also increase the volume of energy
demanded by FNs themselves. Y.3021 thus provides a framework to
minimize the energy consumption of network facilities such as
routers, switches and servers, as well as a method to manage the
total energy consumption of FNs at all stages of their lifecycle. |
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Global CTOs call for faster progress on e-health standards
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A meeting of 20 CTOs from leading companies1 in the information and
communication technology (ICT) industry has urged ITU to accelerate
technical standardization work in the field of e-health. CTOs
stressed that reliable, interoperable standards are key to providing
patients and health professionals with the means to utilize remote
consultation services, advanced ICT-based diagnostic procedures and
electronic health information services.
The meeting, which was held today in Geneva during ITU
Telecom World 2011, agreed that international coordination on
standards will be vital, and that growth in telemedicine services
will also demand aggressive roll-out of broadband networks. The CTOs
encouraged ITU, as the world’s leading developer of global ICT
standards, to intensify its involvement by developing essential
e-health infrastructure standards, and by cooperating with other
standards bodies to create reliable, secure and interoperable
e-health solutions.
1) Participating companies were: Alcatel-Lucent; Cisco;
Ericsson; Etisalat Group; Freescale; Fujitsu; Huawei; KDDI;
Microsoft; Netscout Systems; NSN; NTT; Orange FT Group; RIM; Telecom
Italia; Telefonica; Telekom South Africa; Turk Telecom Group;
Verizon; Vodafone Group; ZTE.
Full press release |
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IPTV App challenge winners revealed
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ITU announced the winners of its IPTV App Challenge at ITU Telecom
World 2011. The corporate app category was given to Discover Japan
from NHK Enterprises (Japan) which offers users an introduction to
the best of Japanese culture. The best individual/SME award split
the vote and was awarded to 7 Days Gallery and Dengue Combat.
Discover Japan highlights Tokyo's cutting-edge pop culture
but also the traditional culture of Kyoto, a city steeped in over
1,000 years of history. With broadcast TV and video on demand as the
areas of focus, the application responds to users' interests,
providing answers to their questions, offering interesting
information, and enabling them to shop online.
7 Days Gallery, by Alève Mine and Eric Bréchemier is a
digital space to promote new artists/designers. It organizes seven
pieces of art work from one artist/designer in a collection, and
presents a different collection for each day of the week. Users can
browse the pictures with their remote control and find out more
information on each of the piece of art, such as its title,
description text, a web site (URL) and online shopping
possibilities. Users can also find information about the artist
including: their biography, portrait and web site.
Dengue Combat is an interactive TV programme to promote
awareness and knowledge to combat dengue fever. IPTV users are
informed by watching a video programme about dengue fever. They can
also find out the nearest medical care facility by providing their
postal code and verify their knowledge of this disease by
participating in a quiz.
More details on the apps can be found at:
www.itu.int/challenges/iptv. |
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Using telecommunication to transfer biometric information
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ITU has approved a new protocol to relay biometric information,
connecting medical practitioners with the real-time medical data of
patients in remote locations. Study Group 17’s Recommendation
ITU-T
X.1080.1 is the first in a suite of e-health and telemedicine
recommendations and supports interactions between a patient’s local
medical facility and a remote medical centre.
e-Health technologies have great potential to bridge the
service provision inequalities between developed and developing
nations, as well as between urban and rural communities. ITU-T
X.1080.1 takes into account work in other standards bodies and
recognizes and identifies data formats and interactions using
Abstract Notation One (ASN.1) object identifiers (OIDs and
OID-IRIs). It also provides security features in the form of
Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS), which enables both integrity and
encryption.
ITU-T
X.1080.1 is designed to provide wide-area communication
supporting all health-related activities, where the communication
can be usefully undertaken as structured messages. From this base,
the X.1080 series will develop into a set of recommendations
addressing physical, chemical, biological, culturological and
psychological diagnoses, interventions and prescriptions. It aims to
remove the need for a co-location of medical practitioners and
patients, and will support both multi-party (for audit and training
purposes) and one-to-one interaction.
The remaining five parts of the X.1080 series, dealing with
the identification of physiological quantities and units, are being
constructed in close collaboration with ISO/TC 12, and IEC/TC 25. |
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ITU Kaleidoscope 2010 winners featured in IEEE Comms Magazine
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The October issue of IEEE Communications Magazine carries a ‘feature
topic’ on ITU’s third Kaleidoscope event – Beyond the Internet? −
Innovations for future networks and services.
The magazine, also available
online, carries the winning
papers, as well as one invited paper from this ITU academic event.
All Kaleidoscope papers are also available in IEEE Xplore,
IEEE's online library.
The fourth Kaleidoscope event “The fully networked human?
Innovations for future networks and services” was held in Cape Town,
South Africa, 12-14 December 2011. |
INFORMATION LINKS |
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