Lightwave Europe has recently published an article on ITU-T Rec. G.655. The standard extends the use of fibre previously used mainly in core networks to metropolitan or regional networks. Crucially it also has the potential to greatly reduce operating costs for network providers.

See Lightwave’s story here.

See ITU-T Newslog entry here.

At Study Group 9’s last meeting: Tokyo, 2-6 October, 2006, Mayumi Matsumoto, Rapporteur for Q.5/9 made a short video giving an excellent introduction to the Study Group’s work.

The movie contains footage of a demonstration of technologies for emerging broadband services in the home including interviews with some of the exhibitors.

It’s a unique insight into a Study Group meeting and the events surrounding it. Watch it here.

From the beginning of 2007, ITU-T Recommendations will be available without charge for a trial period.

With only a small number of exceptions all in-force Recommendations will be available in PDF form via a simple mouse click.

There is a general belief that the strategic importance of making on-line access to ITU-T Recommendations free outweighs the costs (in terms of lost revenue) to ITU. This is seen as a way to increase the transparency of ITU-T work and encourage wider participation in ITU-T activities. It is also believed that this policy will help increase developing countries' awareness of pertinent issues and help to promote the participation of academia in ITU-T work.

ITU-T Recommendations are available here.

The Recommendation (X.1205) provides a taxonomy of security threats from an organization’s point of view. Cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities including the most common hacker’s tools of the trade are presented. Threats are discussed at various network layers.

Various Cybersecurity technologies to remedy threats are discussed including: routers, firewalls, antivirus protection, intrusion detection systems, intrusion protection systems, secure computing and audit and monitoring. Network protection principles such as defense in depth, access management with application to Cybersecurity are also discussed. Risk management strategies and techniques are discussed including the value of training and education in protecting the network. In addition examples for securing various networks based on the discussed technologies are also discussed.

Digital identity refers to the online representation of a user’s or network element’s identity and the identity of those that the user or network element interacts with. It does not mean the positive validation of a person. Information regarding device identities is becoming an increasingly valuable commodity, and as a consequence, its protection and management are vital to a healthy and inclusive digital world.

There are different approaches for representing identities and different identity management frameworks. The lack of a common view on digital identity and its management has so far resulted in incompatible applications.

The Focus Group will explore mechanisms that allow different frameworks to interoperate together. Experts said there is a need to identify current gaps in proposed solutions. For example, IdM solutions that involve the telecom network level and in general lower layers have not been addressed sufficiently, they said. The Focus Group will act as a platform for an exchange of information in order to bring about necessary harmonisation.

All standards organizations and developer forums involved in identity management worldwide, including institutes, forums, companies, experts and individuals regardless of whether ITU members or not are encouraged to participate.

The first meeting of the FG IdM is scheduled to take place at ITU Headquarters, in Geneva, from 13 to 16 February 2007.

Next meeting of Study Group 3 - Tariff and accounting principles including related telecommunication economic and policy issues

Geneva, 26 - 30 March 2007

Registration form