Recommendation G.1070 gives an algorithm that estimates videophone quality in terms of quality of experience/quality of service (QoE/QoS). The model is designed to be used by QoE/QoS planners to help ensure end-to-end user satisfaction and to avoid over-engineering at the application, terminal, and network layers.

The Recommendation, ITU-T Recommendation Y.1562, may be used by service providers in the planning, development, and assessment of IP service to check that it meets user performance needs; by equipment manufacturers to give performance information that will affect equipment design; and by end users in evaluating higher layer protocol service performance.

The amendment takes into account the transmission characteristics for headsets and hands free terminals. The original Recommendation – P.313 - provides audio performance requirements for portable digital cordless and mobile handsets, headset and loudspeaker terminals.

Specifications for car mounted hands free terminals will be treated in a new Recommendation in progress and also under study in the Focus Group - From/In/To Cars Communication.

The latest meeting of Study Group 12, Geneva, January, also saw agreement on a definition for QoE. This, experts said, is particularly important given the inclusion of QoE in the definition of IPTV agreed by the ITU-T IPTV Focus Group. (See previous story).

Quality of Experience (QoE)

The overall acceptability of an application or service, as perceived subjectively by the end-user.

NOTES

1     Quality of Experience includes the complete end-to-end system effects (client, terminal, network, services infrastructure, etc).

2     Overall acceptability may be influenced by user expectations and context.

Study Group 12 Vice Chair, Chuck Dvorak, said that he expects that IPTV and other multimedia QoS and QoE issues will see increasing attention in SG12 moving forward.

Dvorak also said that he expects that the non-transport aspects of networks and services, for example call processing performance, will also receive more attention. Additionally he says that he expects SG12 will take a closer look at how to better address the needs of developing countries in terms of QoS.

Study Group 16 - Multimedia terminals, systems and applications

Working Party 3/16 Meeting

Geneva, 30 March 2007

Registration Form

See TSB Collective-letter 6/16 for more information.

Study Group 17 - Security, languages and telecommunication software

Working Parties 1, 2 and 3/17 Meetings

Geneva, 20, 16-20, 18-20 April 2007, respectively

Registration Form

See TSB Collective-letter 6/17 for more information.

The Focus Group meeting in Geneva, January, worked on specifications that will enhance communications in vehicles. Using as a starting point a specification developed by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) the Focus Group is looking to improve a draft Recommendation – P.Carhft – under development by ITU-T’s Study Group 12. The Focus Group concept allows for non-members, in this case the auto industry to participate.

A first priority is to deal with speakerphone audio quality, aiming to provide a specification that will help to improve the speech- and sound - quality between different devices. Second priority is requirements for headsets including wireless. Chairman of the group, Hans Gierlich of Head Acoustics noted also that a major problem for the car industry is car-to-car communications.

While first concentrating on narrowband speech (3.4kHz), the group will eventually move into better quality - wideband (8kHz). Input is also required in the area of testing for interaction between the network and hands-free terminals. In addition speech recognition will be addressed.

Participating companies included Alcatel-Lucent, Avaya, DaimlerChrysler, France Telecom, Harman/Becker, Head Acoustics, Mitsubushi, Nortel and Volkswagen.

A second FG meeting hosted by HARMAN/BECKER Automotive Systems is planned for March 15 in Ulm, Germany following the ITU, ISO and IEC event, The Fully Networked Car, Information and Communication Technologies in Motor Vehicles. The event taking place at the Geneva Motor Show will review and examine the implications of the latest developments in this fast-moving market. A significant value-add will be an exhibition showcasing the latest technologies in the field.

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.